Healing a Broken Crane
by mykkila09
Summary: summary inside
1. A Crane Broken

A/N: Hey guys I'm back with another story. This one takes place during the ZEO era. It starts with the letter and goes up through Dino Thunder, maybe Mystic Force as well, I'm not sure. If you have ever seen the lifetime movie; 'Speak' then you should have an idea of this one. I got the idea from it. In the movie, this girl goes out to a party with friends and was raped by her best friend's boyfriend. She was so traumatized that she refused to talk. So I thought, why not use that idea? Tell me what you guys think.

A/N 2: let's just say that spring break was early March

Pairings: Tommy/Kim (duh); Rocky/Aisha; Tanya/Adam; Jason/Trini; Connor/Kira; Billy/Kat; Zack/Hayley (maybe more.)

A/N 3: this story will not have Kat bashing in it. And I paired Zack with Hayley because I thought that he was her opposite, and it would be fun. Besides it's my story, (sticks tongue out) so there

Summary: Kim was hurt by someone she trusted. Can the others help her and will their broken crane ever heal?

_Friday March 3rd 1996_

She was walking from the gym back to her dorm. Her steps were light and she had a smile on her face. Her hair, which fell about mid-back, was woven into a slack French braid and was swinging with each step she took. Practice had gone very good and she was happy with what she had accomplished. Her smile got even wider as she thought of her boyfriend of almost three years, Tommy Oliver. She loved him and he loved her. They were each others everything. She would do anything for him and him her. Kimberly Hart was indeed very lucky to have a gorgeous boyfriend so devoted to her, that waited patiently for the day that she would return to him and her home town. She was so caught up in her thoughts, that she didn't notice the figure behind her until it was too late. She had just turned the corner, about a hundred yards away from her dorm door, when she felt someone behind her. She turned her head to see who it was, but before she could make out the person, she felt an excruciating pain in the back of her head, and then the world went black. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was a pair of familiar blue eyes, looking back at her.

…

She woke up with her hands tied to a chair and her mouth gagged. She tried to make a little noise, but when that proved useless, she tried to move to see where she was, but found that her eyes were covered.

"Oh don't move, it'll hurt your hands," a voice said. She brought her head around to where she thought the voice came from.

"Oh don't worry," the person said, "You're safe for now." Why didn't she like the sound of that? "Ok, I'm going to take the gag out and the blindfold off," they said, "Do you promise not to scream?" scared at what they would do, Kim nodded. She felt a pair of hands at her face and felt the gag and blindfold being removed. She blinked to adjust her eyes. She then lifted her head and gasped as she saw who was standing in front of her, "Michael," she whispered.

"Hello Kimberly," Michael said. Michael was the assistant coach for the girls' gymnastics team. When she had first arrived, he had sought her out, and they became friends. When she realized he wanted more than friendship, she let him down gently and told him she had a boyfriend that she was very much in love with. At the time, it seemed like he had accepted it, so she had put the entire thing behind her. But now it seemed as though that wasn't the case.

"Michael, what's going on?" she asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking what's mine Kimberly," he said with a smile. When Kim heard those words, she felt a chill up her spine. She knew then what it was that Michael had planned to do, and it scared her. Her heart was pounding with fear, and she shivered. She wished she had gone out with the others. She had every night, since they were on spring break, but she declined tonight, and now she regretted it.

"WH-what do you mean?" she asked, hoping the fear she was feeling wasn't visible in her eyes.

"I mean, Kimberly," he said, his smile disappearing, "That what I want, what I've always wanted was you, and now; now I can have you."

"Michael, please don't do this," she pleaded, desperate to get through to him, "Just let me go and we can forget about this. You don't want to do this Michael."

"Yes, I do," he said, now pacing the floor, "Ever since you came here and I met you, I fell in love with you. I became your friend, I got close to you, learned everything about you; to show you that I was perfect for you."

"Michael—

"But then you had to go and ruin it," he snarled, "NO, you had a _boyfriend. _Do you know how it felt to hear you talk about him? Everything out of your mouth was how 'Tommy did this,' or 'Tommy did that.' I got so sick of it. You were my girl. And now, now I can finally take what's mine."

"Michael, look I'm sorry that you felt that way," Kim started, "But I love Tommy and I—

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME," he shouted. She jumped. He started pacing again, this time muttering to himself. Kim looked on, trying to figure out what he was thinking and how she was going to get out of there. _**'Tommy, I wish you could help me right now,'**_ she thought. She watched Michael as he paced and started twisting her wrists, trying to loosen up the ropes. _**'I have to keep him distracted, but how do I do that? Oh man, what am I to do?'**_ she thought, _**'Here goes nothing.' **_ "Michael, you said you fell in love with me," she asked, "Why? Out of all the girls, why did you choose me?"

He smiled as he considered the question, "Because, you're very sexy, and you smile a lot, and you care about others."

She shivered even more when she heard, but she had to keep him talking. She tested her wrists and found that they were becoming loose. So she started speaking again, "Come on Michael, I mean there had to be other girls that were like that."

"I didn't want other girls," he said harshly, "I wanted you."

"But…" SMACK! Whatever she was going to say was cut off by the hit. She felt her head snap back from the blow.

"Now see what you made me do?" he said, "I didn't want to hit you."

"If you don't want to hurt me then just let me go," she said. She was scared. The last time she was this scared was when Zedd had stolen her power coin. She didn't know what Michael was capable of, but she knew that she needed to get out of there. She fought putties, and tengas, but she had never encountered something like this, and it scared her. She continued working on the ropes until she felt them give way. Without drawing attention to herself or her hands, she looked around to try and figure out where she was and how she was going to get out of there. She didn't recognize the place so she asked, "Michael, can you tell me something? Where are we? I mean, if you wanted me for yourself…"

"You're right," he said," There's no way I would take you where people could interrupt us. This building hasn't been used in a long time. It's the old gym. No one is going to know where we are. We have all the time in the world. When I'm done with you, you're going to forget about all about _Tommy Oliver._" _**'Oh God, he really means it. I didn't know he was so sick. I have to get out of here; but how? '**_ She looked around to see if she could find something and spotted a board not too far from her feet. **'**_**That should work,' **_she thought. She waited until his back was turned towards her and then made her move. With him distracted, she slowly got up out of the chair and grabbed the board. She slowly and quietly made her to him. When she was behind him, she raised the board. Michael was turning back, "Well, Kimberly are you—

SMACK! Kim hit him across the face with the board. She dropped it, and then ran to where she thought the door was. She was running when she heard him get up. _**'Oh no, I didn't hit him hard enough. I've got to get out of here.'**_

"KIMBERLY," he yelled out, 'YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT. WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET IT." Kim ducked around a board as she continued trying to find her way out. She looked back and saw Michael getting up and coming after her, "No." she spotted the door and made her way towards it. She was a few yards away when she felt him grab her from behind, "NO, LET ME GO YOU FREAK!"

"Now Kimmie is that anyway to talk to your lover?" he chuckled.

'_**What? Is this guy for real?'**_ "My lover?" she asked, kicking her feet out, "You were never my lover and you never will be."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to change that," he sneered. He threw her to the ground and fell on top of her. She started kicking and punching anywhere she could get. He ripped at her clothes and tried to kiss her. She turned her head and the last minute and got a slap to the face for it, "You little bitch, denying me what's mine?"

"Please Michael," she cried, "Don't do this. Please, just let me go."

"Can't do that," he said, "You're mine now and I plan on taking what I want." With that he started ripping at her clothes again. When she tried to fight him, he punched her in her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. He told her to be quiet, not to talk or he would kill her. He placed one hand over her mouth, and ripped at her skirt and unbuttoned his jeans. Kimberly tried to fight him off but he was too strong for her. She fought with all her might, but it was no use. She couldn't do nothing but scream silently for help as he raped her repeatedly. She got one of hands loose, and punched him in the face. He cried out in pain, and moved off her body. She cried as she staggered to feet and tried to run again. She didn't get very far however, before he grabbed her again and threw her back to the floor. He started kicking and punching her all over her body. When he was done, she laid there hurt and bleeding. She could barely move as the pain was too much. The last thing she heard him say was, "Talk and I'll come back and do it again, but this time, I'll kill you too." With that he left, and she succumbed to the darkness.

…

She woke up fifteen minutes later, dazed, bleeding and disoriented. Tears running down her face as she thought about what happened. She dragged herself up, and limped towards the door. When she got there, she opened it and after making sure no one was there, she crept towards her dorm. She got herself up the stairs and into her room. She dropped her keys, and headed straight for the shower. She stripped all her clothes off, and dropped them on the bathroom floor. She stepped into the stall, and sat down on the floor with the water beating down on her. As she sat there, she started sobbing; harsh, heart-wrenching sobs that seemed to come from the pit of her soul. After the shower, she got into bed and tried to sleep. Her sleep was fit full as she tossed and turned all night. The next morning she woke up and didn't even try to move. She just laid there in bed. She needed someone to talk to but every time she picked up the phone, she got scared and hung up. She kept to herself for the next two days, never saying anything to anybody. About two days later (on Wednesday), she sat down and sent out an email to her dad. She told him what had happened. Later that night, she was on her couch crying as she replayed the messages that her parents' left her on the machine;

"_Well, it seems like you finally became just like that whore of a mother of yours. I always knew you two were alike, now I know. You have a boyfriend and you go and spread your legs like the slut that you are. I think you were asking for it; always parading around in those shorts. You're kidding yourself if you think that that boy Tommy is going to want anything to do with you now," her dad said while he laughed._

"_Kimberly, darling, I got the message from your father," her mother's voice said, "Please tell me it's not true. Tell me that didn't happen. Pick up the phone sweetie, please. I don't want to believe that that happened to my daughter. Not you, tell me it's not true. I can't believe it, I can't accept it, I'm sorry, I just can't. Goodbye Kimberly."_

She couldn't believe her dad could be so cruel, or her mom could just let go like that. And then what Michael had said yesterday about her being used and damaged goods and that Tommy wouldn't want her again. It hurt, and she was starting to believe it. They were right, why would Tommy want to be with her after all that? _**'It's my entire fault, I let myself get raped. The others would be so ashamed of me. A former power ranger and I couldn't stop him from raping me. I can't take them saying that. I can't handle hearing Tommy say he doesn't want me anymore.' **_ She went to bed, and her dreams were filled of the rape, of her parents' message, of Michael, and the worst of it all; Tommy saying he didn't want her anymore. She woke from her nightmare, tears streaming down her face. _**'I can't take it. I have to let go.'**_ Her choice made, she grabbed the stuffed tiger that Tommy got for her and tried to go back to sleep; knowing that in next few days, everything would change again.

A/N: Hey guys. So tell me what you think of this story. It was running around in my head and I decided to write it. R&R, please. I'd love to hear what you guys think

A/N 2: I'm working on the flashback chapter for secrets, should have it up by this weekend.


	2. The Letter and a decision

A/N: here's the first chapter. Hope you guys like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Michael

She slept through most of the next day, and didn't get up until later that night. She sat at her desk, the tears flowing like a river down her cheeks. Her heart was telling her not to do it, that he would understand, but her mind kept repeating their words over and over. She couldn't escape. What she was about to do would not only break his heart, but it would break what little of hers was left.

"_**I'm so sorry Tommy,"**_ she thought, _**"But I have to. I'd rather have you hate me, than to look at me in disgust."**_ Her hands shook as she wrote the words that she knew would destroy the only thing in her life that was worth living for;

_Dear Tommy_

_Everything is going great here in Florida. Coach Schmidt has me as ready as I'll ever be for the competition. Tommy, this is the hardest letter that I've ever had to write. You've always been my best friend, and in some ways, you're like a brother. But something has happened here that I can't explain. It's been both wonderful and painful at the same time . . . . . Tommy . . . . . I've met someone else . . . . ._

_Tommy, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you, but I feel like I've found the person that I belong with. He's wonderful, kind and caring. You'd really like him. And everything would be perfect, if it wasn't for hurting you . . . . . But I have to follow my heart . . . . ._

_I will always care about you Tommy. Please forgive me._

_Kimberly_

It was done. The moment she sent this, she would lose Tommy. Her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes once again. She folded the letter and collapsed back onto her bed in tears. _**'Why did this have to happen to me? Why me? What have I ever done wrong to deserve this?'**_ she leaned over and grabbed the picture that was resting on the night stand. It was a picture of the two of them the night they had defeated Ivan Ooze. The fireworks were in the background and Tommy had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes were closed, but his were open and was looking down at her with such love in his gaze. She traced her finger over his picture, brought it to her lips and thought, _**"I love you so much, more than I can say. I'm so sorry for doing this. Please forgive me."**_ She held the picture to her chest and fell asleep. The next morning, despite her reluctance, she dragged herself from the bed and went down to the post office. She spent fifteen minutes standing there, then with shaking hands, sent the letter off. She bowed her head and made her way back to the dorm. When she got there, she curled up on her bed, and pulled out her journal. She wrote everything down;

_Dear diary_

_I just sent the letter to Tommy. I chose the fast express, which means he'll get it later today. I didn't want to, but I just kept hearing their voices over and over again. I feel so dirty, so ashamed. How could I have let this happen to me? All I want is for Tommy to hold me in his arms and tell me everything's going to be ok, I want him to make me feel safe again. But every time I try to, I keep having that same dream. How could my parents do this to me? Why did my mom let go?_

She closed the journal and placed it on the table. She got up and went to her closet to look for something. She bent down and spotted the shoebox on the floor. She took it out and went back to her bed. When she opened it, the tears started again. It seemed that all she did was cry lately. Inside the box were pictures of the entire team. From when she, Jase, Trini, Zack and Billy were kid, pictures of when Tommy joined the team, their first dance, when they met Aisha, Rocky and Adam, when they were all at the beach, she even had pictures of Kat in there. There were also newspaper clippings about the ranger battles. She just sat there, tears in her eyes, as she looked at the photos over and over again.

…

_Angel Grove Youth Center_

Tommy and the others were hanging out at the youth center, as usual. He was on the weight machines with the others standing around him, when Ernie came up to them.

"Hey Tommy," he said, "I got something for you; it's a letter from Kimberly."

"Thanks Ernie," Tommy said, "Hey Adam, can you read for me please?"

"Sure thing Tommy," Adam said as he took the letter.

"Oh a letter from Kim," Rocky said, "I wonder how everything is going?"

"Let Adam read and find out," Kat said. Adam opened the letter and started reading;

_Dear Tommy_

_Everything is going great here in Florida. Coach Schmidt has me as ready as I'll ever be for the competition. Tommy, this is the hardest letter that I've ever had to write. _

"Oh my God," the others said.

"Is she breaking up with him?" Kat asked.

Adam paused, "Tommy man, maybe you should read this in private."

Tommy sat up and took the letter from his hands and continued reading;

_You've always been my best friend, and in some ways, you're like a brother. But something has happened here that I can't explain. It's been both wonderful and painful at the same time . . . . . Tommy . . . . . I've met someone else . . . . ._

_Tommy, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you, but I feel like I've found the person that I belong with. He's wonderful, kind and caring. You'd really like him. And everything would be perfect, if it wasn't for hurting you . . . . . But I have to follow my heart . . . . ._

_I will always care about you Tommy. Please forgive me._

_Kimberly_

Tommy folded the letter and stood up. Everyone was shocked at the letter. They couldn't believe that Kimberly had written him a 'Dear John' letter. Tommy had tears in his eyes as he turned to the group.

"Tommy, are you ok?" Rocky asked. _**'Stupid question Rocky, of course he's not ok; the girl he loves just broke up with him.' **_ He mentally smacked his forehead.

"Yea…guys…I'll be fine," he stuttered, "I'm going to go, I'll see you guys later." And with that he turned and hurried out the youth center. Kat watched him go with sadness in her eyes. She turned to the others, who had looks of disbelief on their faces.

"I can't believe it," Billy said softly, "I can't believe that Kim broke up with Tommy." The others said nothing as they thought about their leader that was hurting and wondered how this was going to affect his duty as a ranger.

"He shouldn't be alone right now guys," Kat said, "Billy I think we should go after him."

"Kat, I don't think he wants company right now," Adam said, still in shock over the letter.

"But he's hurting and I think that right now what he needs is his friends," she said. And with that she turned and walked out the youth center, with Billy following close behind. The other three just stood there, still processing what had just happened; their heart had broken up with their leader. Rocky shook his head as he watched them leave, "I don't believe it."

"Rocky," Tanya started, "You heard the letter."

"I know," he said, "But I know Kim, and I don't believe that letter. Kim loves Tommy more than anything, I know that. If she had met someone, she wouldn't have written Tommy such a cold hearted letter, she would've talked to him, at least over the phone."

"Maybe she was scared at how he would react," Adam said softly.

"No, I'm telling you," Rocky said, "Kim was the type of person to put people first. She never did anything if she thought that someone she cared about would get hurt. Remember when Aisha was told she couldn't be in that club because her parents weren't getting a high enough income?"

"Yea," Adam said.

"What did Kim do? She quit the club because she knew it would hurt Sha if she joined," he said. Adam was quiet as he thought about it. It was true, Kim had quit when Aisha couldn't join, and she had only gone back because Aisha was let back in. he thought it over and realized that Rocky was right, the letter sounded nothing like his little sister.

"I'm telling you, it doesn't sound like Kim," he said.

"Well people change, right?" Tanya said, "Maybe she did too."

"No, he's right," Adam said, catching them by surprise, "Tanya if you had met Kim, you wouldn't say that. Yes people change, but not like that so quickly, and not Kim."

"OK so say you guys are right," she said, "It's Tommy's choice whether or not he does anything about it."

"Well, I think we should give him time," Rocky said, "And then we decide if we should take matters into our own hands. Because I'm telling you right now, I'm not choosing between either one; I'm not losing my little sis." With that, the talk was dropped. Each thinking about the turn of events that just played out.

…

Tommy walked around the lake with tears in his eyes. He re-read the letter and still couldn't believe it. _**'Oh man, Kim. What did I do? What went wrong Beautiful? What happened to us? How could you hurt me like this?'**_ He kept repeating the thoughts in his head. He still couldn't believe it. He was standing there watching the water, when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Billy and Kat walking towards him.

"Hey," they said.

"Hey."

"I'm not even going to pretend to know how you're feeling," Kat said, "But I want you to know that we're here for you."

"Thanks guys," he said, "I just don't understand, you know? I thought everything was going good."

"Look, how about we go skiing?" Billy suggested, "That way you can clear your head and think about this."

"That sounds like a great idea," Kat said. Tommy sighed. He knew that they were just trying to cheer him up, but he didn't need or want cheering up, what he needed was Kimberly. But he knew that they wouldn't give up until he agreed, so said, "Sure why not? I need to think things over." They nodded and turned to walk back to the center. When they got there, they got into Tommy's car and headed to his place to pack some ski stuff. They had called the others to let them know their plans, and made their way to the resort. When they got there, they put their stuff away and met back up in the resort's lobby. Tommy looked around at all the couples and felt sadness well up inside him. Kat, seeing the pain, suggested, "Why don't we go out on the slopes?"

"That sounds reasonable," Billy said. They gathered their skis and headed to the lifts. Tommy was seated next to a very attractive brunette but he paid her no attention until she turned towards him, "Hello, I'm Desiree, what's your name?"

"Tommy," he said, not really in a mood for conversation.

"Do you ski often?"

"No not really," he answered. Getting the hint that he didn't want to talk, she left him alone. They got to the top and skied their down the mountain. Tommy let himself go and used all his anger, sadness and frustration out on the slopes. The trio skied for awhile before heading back to the resort. At the end of the day, their communicators went off, reminding them that they still had a job to do. They went to the battle, their hearts heavy but needing the distraction, except for Tommy. They defeated the monster with little to know ease, but then again, that could be due to the fact that the remaining anger that he had, he used to fight the monster. They all headed back to the Command Center, where Zordon congratulated them on another job well done, and expressed concerns over the obvious change in their leader. Kat, still concerned over Tommy's mood, tried to set him up with someone despite the other's protesting. A few days later, she had convinced Ernie to leave the youth center open and had set up the room with a table with two candles lit, and flower. She was just fixing the chairs when Tommy came in.

"Wow Kat," he said, "This looks amazing."

"Thanks," she said with a soft smile, "Well your date should be here soon, so I'll just finish setting up, and then I'll leave." The truth was, the date was for her and him, but no one knew that. She had let the others believe it was someone else. About five minutes after the time his date was supposed to be there, Tommy realized that the person wasn't coming_**. 'It's just as well,' **_he thought to himself, _**'I'd be too busy thinking about Kim anyways.' **_ He was getting up when the doors opened. He paused, thinking it was his date, but realized that it was only Kat.

"Sorry, I forgot my purse," Kat said, and then paused as she took in the scene, "She didn't show?"

"No," he said, "Well since you went through so much trouble, why not eat with me?"

"I'd love that Tommy," she smiled. _**'Yes, it's going good. As sad as I am that Kim hurt you, I can't help but feel as if I could finally have a chance with you.' **_ They sat down and ate in silence. After eating, Kat stood up and turned the radio on, as the song came on, she turned to Tommy, "Would you like to dance?"

"Sure," he answered as he got up. As she moved into his arms, she couldn't help but sigh. _**'You have no idea what you do to me Tommy. This night feels so perfect.'**_

'_**Kat is such a good friend, but even now I can't help but think about Kim. I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. I know Kim, and I don't believe she fell out of love with me that quickly. I have to know.' **_ Tommy pulled from Kat's arms, "Is something wrong Tommy?"

"No Kat, everything's fine," he said, "But there's something I've got to do."

"Oh," she said, "What's that?"

"Nothing to worry about," he said then turned to leave, "Oh and Kat? Thank you for tonight. You're a good friend." With those words, he left. He never knew that it hurt her to hear them.

'_**Well what do you think Kat? His girlfriend just broke up with him; of course he's only going to see you as a friend right now.' **_She sighed, _**'Well I better clean up and go home.'**_

…

Tommy walked home to clear his head, but it wasn't working. All he kept seeing was Kimberly. Tonight when he danced with Kat, he felt as if he was betraying her. He still loved her, no matter what the letter said. He got home and went straight to his room. He stripped and collapsed on the bed. He opened his drawer and pulled the letter out. Tears filled his eyes once more as he silently re-read it. He putted it down and picked up the picture that was sitting on his bedside table. It was the same one that Kimberly had on her table, though he didn't know that. He looked at it and saw how much the love and joy on her face though her eyes were closed. He looked from the picture to the letter and back again. Again he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Frowning, he reached for his phone and dialed a very familiar number. Before he did anything, he had to get some input. He waited as the phone rang on the other end. After about four rings, he heard the voice of his other best friend, "Hello?"

"Hey Jase," he said, "It's me."

"Tommy, dude what's up?" Jason asked. Tommy sighed as he heard the question, "Tommy, man talk to me."

"Can I ask you something Jase?"

"Sure."

"When was the last time you talked to Kimberly?"

"Uhm, I don't really know, I think it was before her spring break started," Jason said, "Why?"

"Because I got a letter from her breaking up with me."

"WHAT!" Jason said as he sat up straighter, "Are you serious?"

"Yea bro, I am," he said, "She told me she found someone else and that she didn't want to hurt and she thought of me like a brother; a damn brother Jase."

"Man that does not sound like Kimberly," Jason said, "What did she say when you called her?"

Tommy closed his eyes and said, "I haven't." he braced himself for the outburst that he knew was coming.

"WHAT! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT KIM BROKE UP WITH YOU BY LETTER AND YOU DIDN'T QUESTION IT?" Jason was furious.

"I don't know, I guess I'm scared," he said, "and I'm probably still in disbelief."

"Tommy, you know Kimberly better than anybody, even me," Jason said, "You know the type of person she is, and how you guys fought for your relationship. Now you're telling me that you didn't even question a letter that's supposedly from Kimberly?"

"It's her handwriting Jase, I'd know it anywhere."

"I know that, but you're not even sure if she wrote it willingly," Jason said, "I think you should call her or at least ask Zordon to teleport you down there."

"I know," Tommy said.

"You do?" Jason asked, "Then why'd you call me?"

"Because I wanted your take on this just in case I was wrong," Tommy said.

"So what are you going to do?" Jason asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I'm going to find out what's going on," Tommy said, "You're right. Ever since we met, we've been fighting for our relationship. I fought Zedd for her, and I'm not letting some gymnast win her just like that. I'm going to fight for her Jase, I love her and it's going to take a miracle for me to let her go."

"Good," Jason said, "Go get my little sister back and if some guy gets in your way, then kick his ass, for me and for you."

Tommy chuckled, "Will do. Talk to you later."

"OK, hopefully you'll have Kimberly or at the very least answers."

"Bye."

"Bye." After Jason hung up, Tommy laid back on his bed. He took the picture in his hands and traced a finger over Kimberly's face. _**'I don't know what's going on, but I do know one thing; I love you and I'm not letting you go without a fight. Just hang on Beautiful I'm coming.'**_ He placed a kiss on the picture and fell asleep. The next morning he went to the Command Center to talk to Zordon.

"Tommy, what are you doing here?"

"I need to ask a favor Zordon," he answered.

"What is it red ranger?" the sage asked.

"I want to go to Florida to see Kimberly," Tommy said.

"May I ask why?"

"Because I got a letter from her and I need to talk to her," Tommy said, "I need to see her face to face."

"Do you believe it wise to do this?"

"Yes I do Zordon," he said looking up at him, "I haven't really been myself since I got the letter, and to get back to where I was, I need to do this."

"As you wish Tommy," Zordon said, "I have you noticed that you have been pulling away from the team. Very well red ranger, you may go."

"Thank you Zordon," Tommy said.

"Good luck Tommy," he said. Tommy nodded and teleported to the youth center to where the others were.

"Ai-yi-yi," Alpha said, "Zordon do you think it wise to keep this from him?"

"No Alpha," he answered, "But our young crane needs help and Tommy is the only one that can do that, but he must enter the situation without any previous knowledge."

"Oh poor Kimberly," the robot said. Zordon remained quiet. He knew that something was wrong with his crane. Kimberly was the heart of the team, though she did not know that. After she left, Zordon watched as the team tried to handle it, but saw that they couldn't fully repair the hole that she had created when she left. Out of all his children, for that's what he saw them as, Kimberly was more like his daughter than anything; she was his favorite. And as it was, she knew more about him than the others. That's why he new that something was wrong with her, he could feel it. He hoped that Tommy could help her, that they all could.

…

Tommy landed in the secluded hallway at the youth center. He looked around to make sure no one saw him, and then made his way to the table where the others were.

"Hey Tommy," Tanya said as he approached, "How are you holding up?"

"I could be better," he said, "Well actually I will be better."

"That's the spirit Tommy," Kat said.

"What do you mean by that Tommy?" Adam asked.

"I talked Zordon into letting me teleport to Florida to see Kimberly," he said after looking around to make sure that no one could hear.

"What? why?" Kat asked.

"Because I think that there's more to the letter," he answered, "And if that's not a reason, then Kimberly at least owes me an explanation. And by going face to face, I can get it."

"It's about time," Rocky said. The others looked over at him in shock, "What? You guys knew how I felt. I don't believe that Kimberly meant that letter. So what if she wrote, maybe it wasn't willingly."

"That's the same thing Jason said," Tommy told them.

"You talked to Jason?" Billy asked.

"Yea, last night actually," Tommy said, "And he basically said everything that Rocky said, he doesn't believe that Kimberly would do something like this."

"But Tommy," Kat said, silently wondering if she was losing her chance, "Do you think that's wise?"

"Yes I do," he said, "Besides Zordon seemed a bit eager to let me go."

"But what if it is true?" Kat asked. This time the others seemed to pick up on the subtle pleading the blonde's voice.

"I don't believe it is, and that's all that matters," he said.

"Kat, is there a reason why you're so apprehensive about Tommy going to Florida?" Billy asked.

"Well, I…" she stuttered. _**'I can't tell them that I like Tommy.' **_Tommy looked over at Kat at Billy's question. He frowned as he thought about it. He remembered the way she had been when they first met, how Kim used to tease him about Kat's crush on him. He also remembered the dinner they had they had last night. He hoped he hadn't given her the wrong impression, but as he looked at her he got the feeling that that is what happened. He put his hands on the table and spoke, not only for the others but for Kat as well, "Guys, you should know, I love Kimberly. I have since the first time I saw. She's my best friend, she knows everything about me. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her and vice versa. She's my whole world you know? I love her and I believe that there's more going with this letter and I intend to find out. I fought Zedd for her, and I'm going to fight for her now."

The others could see the love shining in his eyes as he spoke, they could also sense the determination. Kat couldn't help but feel as if he was speaking directly to her. And when she looked into his eyes, she knew that he was. She saw how much he loved Kimberly and knew right there that even if they had dated, she would've always come second to her.

"You're right," Kat said, "We know how you feel about her, and I think that you should go after her." She stood up, as did the others, and walked over to him. She gave him a hug and whispered in his ear, "Thanks for not letting them know and for letting me down gently." She let go and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Go get her Tommy."

"Yea, go bring our little sister back," Billy said.

"I don't know her, except what you guys have told me," Tanya started, "But if she is what you guys say she is, then fight her and don't let go."

He turned to Rocky and Adam, "What about you two?"

"You know I'm behind you in this," Adam said, "I know how you feel about her, I've seen it, so…"

"Thanks Adam," Tommy said, "What about you Rocky?"

Rocky was silent for a few seconds, "What do you think I'm going to say? It's about time you came to your sense. Now go get my little sister and bring her home. And kick whoever's ass that thought he could come between you." the others laughed at his words.

"So you guys really mean that?" he asked.

"Yes, go," Kat smiled, "We can handle things here until you get back."

"Thanks guys," he smiled, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," they said. He waved and walked out the youth center. he found a secluded spot, and looked around to make sure it was clear. _**'Hang on Beautiful, I'm coming.' **_ And then he was gone in a flash of red.

A/N: hope you guys liked it. I should have the next chapter up by the end of this week, maybe earlier, maybe later. So push that button below and send me your reviews.

A/N 2: I knew that Jason would probably be the only one that could convince Tommy, so I put it in. and Zordon as well, because come one, the man knew everything.


	3. Florida and Truths

A/N: hey guys, here's the other chapter. It's a little long (took like 18 pages), but I hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Michael, Denise, Scott and Suzanne

Kim stood in the gym with the male and female gymnasts. Denise, a fellow gymnast that lived on the same floor as her, had woken her up, telling her that the coach needed to see them this morning. She hadn't wanted to leave her bed, but knew that if she didn't, they would start asking questions. Denise had tried to get her to talk as they walked from the building to the gym, but like before, ever since that night, she hadn't spoken or answered back. Denise finally gave up and went to the other girls the moment they got to the gym. The coach had called them down for a little practice, stating that he hadn't wanted them to lose focus, and that they would only spend about two or three hours before he let them go. Kim stood off to the side and watched as the girls stripped down to their leotards. She looked at her own outfit, a pink sweat-shirt and a pair of baggy sweats, and knew that she would have to remove them, but dreaded the idea. She went to the locker room, and changed into a pair of tights, with knee-high loose shorts over them, and a long sleeve pink top. She came out and avoided everybody as she made her way to the balance beam. She pulled herself up and started some routine stretches. She was walking back across the beam, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw Denise being grabbed from the back by Scott, one of the male gymnasts. They were both laughing, but Kim couldn't hear that; she froze as a memory came back to her;

_She looked back and saw Michael getting up and coming after her, "No." she spotted the door and made her way towards it. She was a few yards away when she felt him grab her from behind, "NO, LET ME GO YOU FREAK!" _

Kim gasped out loud and fell off the beam. Suzanne, who was standing a few feet away heard her gasp out and turned towards her, "Oh my God, Kimberly are you ok?" when she went to touch her however, she was shocked when she violently pulled away from her, "Kim? It's me Suzanne; I just want to see if you're ok." Kim shook her and back-pedaled away from her outstretched hand. By now some other girls had come over to see what was happening. "Suzie, what's wrong with her?" Denise asked.

"I don't know," Suzanne said, "She was on the beam and I heard her gasp out, when I went to touch her to see what was wrong, she freaked out."

"Get the coach," Denise said to one of the girls. When she was gone, she turned her attention back to Kim, "Kim sweetie, can you tell me what's wrong?" Kim didn't answer, all they heard was a whimpering sound. They watched as she wrapped her arms around her knees and started rocking herself back and forth. Suzanne ran over to where Coach Schmidt was talking to Scott and some of the guys, "Coach, come quick, I think there's something wrong with Kimberly."

Coach and the guys ran to where Kimberly was rocking herself and the others surrounding her. They looked at each other, puzzled about her behavior and not knowing what to do. Coach Schmidt kneeled down in front of the now crying girl and reached out his hands towards her, "Kimberly, sweetie, are you ok? What's the matter?" When his hands touched her shoulders, she let out a strangled sob and whimpered before scooting back from his reach. In the back, the doors to the gym opened. You could faintly hear some of the girls wondering at the young man dressed in red, but those around Kimberly, paid them no mind. Their attention was strictly focused on their teammate. They were so focused on her, that they didn't notice the other person until he spoke, "What's going on here?"

…

Tommy landed just outside the building that held the dorms. He looked around trying to see if he could find someone to tell him where to go. He stepped out of the alleyway, and walked into the dorms, trying to find Kim's room. On his way up the stairs, he spotted one of the female gymnasts. The girl looked at him with appreciation in her eyes, and he could hear it in her voice. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked as she looked him up and down.

"Yes, I'm looking for someone," he said, "Her name is Kimberly Hart, I believe her dorm is somewhere on one of these floors."

"She's not here," the girl sighed, "She's in the gym with the others. Coach called for a little practice time." Tommy bid her thanks and turned to walk back out the building. _**'It figures that he would be looking for Kim. I wonder if he know what's wrong with her.'**_ "Hey," she called out. He stopped and turned back, "I hope you have better luck than everyone else."

"What do you mean?" Tommy asked puzzled. She walked up to him until she stood directly in front of him, "Well, it's just that…Kim's been really quiet for awhile now." Tommy just stood there and thought about it. _**'I wonder if it's because of the letter.'**_

"Well it's been happening since just after spring break started," the girl said, unknowingly answering his silent question, "I don't why, but she became very quiet and withdrawn, and then a few days ago, it got even worse."

"Well I don't know, but I intend to find out," he said, and then turned and walked out. On the way to the gym, he kept replaying the girl's words over in his head. _**'She said that Kim became withdrawn since just after spring break, and even more so a few days ago. That means that something had happened long before I got the letter. I need to find Kim.'**_ He found the gym with ease and opened the doors. When he entered he looked around trying to spot either Kim or her coach. He saw a group of people crowding around the area near the balance beam, and made his way over there. He was oblivious to the stares and whispers from the other girls. As he got closer to the group, a feeling of apprehension came over him. _**'Something's wrong, I can feel it.' **_ He stepped up to the group and saw the coach kneeling in front of a girl, her head was down, so he couldn't really see her face, but there was something about her that seemed familiar, "What's going on here?" the others turned around. Coach Schmidt had a look of relief, "Tommy, it's good to see you, but now that you're here, maybe you can help."

"Again, what's going on?" Tommy asked, "And help you with what?"

"It's Kimberly," Denise said. At those words, Tommy felt his heart constrict, "What's wrong with Kimberly?"

"That's just it," Denise said as she shook her head, "We don't know."

"We've been trying to get her to tell us," Suzie said, "But she doesn't even want us near her."

Tommy stepped around the group, and came to stand where Coach Schmidt was. As he stood there, he looked down at his girlfriend. His heart constricted as he heard her sobs and saw her rocking back and forth. Coach Schmidt stood up and Tommy knelt in his place. He stayed there for a few seconds just watching her. _**'Oh man Kim. What happened to you Beautiful?'**_ the others watched as Tommy just knelt in front of her, a little confused at what he was doing. Slowly he reached out a hand and lightly touched her shoulder; she flinched for a second, before pausing, "Kim? Kim, look at me, it's me Tommy," he said softly.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**Why won't they leave me alone? I don't want to hear them. I wish they would just leave. It hurts too much. I want Tommy. I can't escape, no matter how hard I try, I keep seeing what happened. I wish Tommy was here.**_

_She felt her coach touch her shoulder. She whimpered and scooted back_

_**STOP! Don't touch me, please just leave me alone. Please, stay away. Tommy, I wish you were here.**_

_She felt another touch on her shoulder. She automatically flinched, but then she felt a warmth seep through her body._

_**It couldn't be. I'm just imagining it. He's not here. **_

_Then she heard a voice, his voice, "Kim? Kim, look at me, it's me Tommy."_

_**Tommy? Is it really you?**_

_(NO one's POV)_

To the others shock, Kim turned her head towards Tommy's voice. Her eyes grew wide, before tears filled them once more. The one thing that everyone noticed though, was the relief that flashed her eyes. Tommy smiled at her, and said, "Hey Beautiful, come here." He noticed that she paused, almost as if she was having an internal battle.

_**No, he can't mean that. I'm not beautiful anymore.**_

He saw the hurt and indecision in her eyes, so he said, "I'm not going to hurt you Kim. Trust me." She looked in his eyes and saw the truth.

_**I do trust you Tommy, but I'm so scared.**_

"Can I hold you?" he asked. All he wanted was to take her in his arms, but something had her spooked out, and he didn't want to scare her off.

_**I can't believe he asked, or that he's here. I love you so much Tommy.**_

She nodded, and moved her arms from around her legs. Tommy opened his arms, and bent over to pick her up. He put one arm under her legs and the other around her waist. He picked her up and smiled as she curled into him. Her arms went around his neck and she started sobbing the moment they did. Tommy felt as if each harsh sob was like a spear to his heart. He noticed that everyone else was looking at them in shock. He didn't care. All he knew was that he had his girlfriend back. He stood up and looked at the coach, "I'm going to take her back to her dorm if that's ok with you coach."

"That's fine Tommy," Coach Schmidt said as he looked at him, "Just take care of her."

"I will," he said. He then grabbed her bag and walked out of the gym. He needed to talk to Kim, and knew that he couldn't do it in front of everyone. Kim, for her part, kept her head buried in his chest. Her crying had lessened considerably, now all he could hear were sniffles.

_Back in Angel Grove_

Billy and the others, minus Kat, were sitting around the youth center eating and talking after Tommy left. They were wondering how he was doing with Kim. As the others talked, he looked around and spotted Kat heading out the door. Her ballet class had just finished, so he knew that she was on her way home. He bid goodbye to the others and went after her.

"I wonder where Billy's going," Tanya asked.

"I think he went after Kat," Adam said, "I saw her leave after her class got done."

"Why?" Tanya asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rocky said. The two turned towards him with a puzzled expression.

"Isn't what obvious?" Tanya asked.

"Billy has the hots for Kat," he said as he bit into the sandwich.

"No way," Tanya said.

"Why do you say that Rocky?" Adam asked. He wasn't rejecting the idea. Truth be told, he had seen the way that their resident genius looked at the blonde.

"Come on." Rocky said, "Don't tell me that you guys haven't seen the way that Billy looks at Kat?"

"I have," Adam said. Tanya looked over at him in shock, "You have?"

"Yea," he replied.

"And you know what else?" Rocky said, "I think that maybe Kat has feelings for Billy as well."

"Nuh uh," Tanya said, "No way. If it's anyone she had feelings for, it would be Tommy."

"True, you would think so," Rocky said, "But personally, I think that the only reason Kat had feelings for Tommy is because of many reasons."

"What are they?" she asked.

"Well for starters, Tommy saved her life, and helped rescue her from Zedd and Rita," he said as he took another bite out of his sandwich, "But the main one would have to be Kimberly."

"Kimberly?" Adam and Tanya said.

"What does Kimberly have to with it?" Tanya asked confused.

"Well T, you weren't here to see Kim and Tommy together," Rocky started, "If you had, you would know what I mean. See, when Tommy's around Kimberly, it's like he's the perfect boyfriend. He's always doing things to make her smile; even if it means embarrassing himself."

"Really?"

"It's true," Adam said, "Tommy was different when he was around Kim. She was the only one that could get him to do anything, and he would do it because it made her happy. He always tried to do something special for her, even if he didn't have to; just being around her made him smile."

"Even when we're in battle," Rocky said, "He would always look out for her and vice versa. The two of them are a lethal combination when they fought together."

"Ok, but I still don't get why you think Kim is the reason why Kat likes Tommy," Tanya said.

"I don't think Kat likes Tommy per se," Rocky said, "I think she fell in love with the relationship that Tommy has with Kimberly. I think she thought that by being the pink ranger, by taking Kim's place on the team, she would also take her place in Tommy's life."

"What?" Tanya asked, a little mad at what Rocky was saying, "What do you mean by that Rocky?"

"Look, I'm not dissing Kat or anything," he said, trying to prevent her from getting angrier, "but if you ask any body, any girl from school, they would all tell you the same thing. The relationship between Tommy and Kim was one that they all wanted."

"Ok," Tanya said, as she slowly started seeing what he was saying, "So, Kat was just in love with the idea of Tommy; of what he had with Kim?"

"Think about it Tanya," Adam said, "Kat first came to us under Rita's spell. We all know that Rita hated us, but she hated Tommy and Kim more, one; because Tommy was her prized ranger and he got away, and two; of the love that the two shared. You could almost say she was jealous."

"So when Rita put the spell on Kat," Tanya said, "She transferred some of her jealousy over Kim and Tommy's relationship onto her."

"Exactly," Rocky said proudly, "And if that wasn't enough; I see the way that Kat looks at Billy as well. And he's the one that she seems to always turn to, no matter if she 'liked' Tommy. Every time we turn around, she and Billy are together; whether they're discussing previous battles, school projects or even problems at the Command Center." Tanya got quiet as she thought about what Rocky had just said, _**'Could he be right? I always thought that Kat was in love with Tommy, I mean, she had told me that she had a crush on him. But then again, it does always look like she spends a lot of time talking to Billy. Next to me, he's the usually the first one that she tells anything to. I think I'm going to have to keep my eyes peeled on this.'**_

_With Billy and Kat_

Billy hurried out the door, wanting to catch up to Kat. He spotted her a few feet away and called out to her, "Kat, hey Kat, wait up."

Kat heard the voice and turned around, she saw Billy running up to her. Automatically a smile made its way across her face. Billy always seemed to be around when she needed someone to talk to. Next to Tanya, he always seemed to be the one that she knew she could count on. He was always there for her, "Hey Billy, what's up?" she asked when he was right in front of her.

"Nothing, I just saw you leaving after your class," He said, "And I wanted to see how you were."

"What do you mean Billy?" she asked. Billy put his hand on her shoulder and she felt her skin get warm from where it rested, _**'Why am I feeling this way? I can't possibly like Billy, can I?' **_

"Kat I know that you have some feelings for Tommy," he started, "So I understand how much it probably hurt to hear him say what he did before he left."

'_**He knew? Ugh, I thought no one would pick up on it.'**_ Kat ducked her head, "I bet you think the worst of me don't you? I mean, wanting to be with Tommy when it's clear how much he loves Kimberly, and even after everything that Kim did for me."

"No," Billy shook his head as he dropped his hand from her shoulder, "Actually, I don't think that at all. Kat, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Billy," she said, not knowing why she felt so sad that he had moved his arm.

"Why is it that you like Tommy so much?" he asked as they walked. Kat stopped and looked over at him.

"I don't know," she answered finally, "I guess, I never really thought about it. It's just that, I know he's a great guy, you know? I mean, from the moment I laid eyes on him, I've always wanted to be with him. Pretty silly huh, falling for someone who loves someone else."

Billy paused as he thought about her statement. Truth was, he didn't find it all that silly, because he was in love with someone that loved someone else, "No Kat I don't believe it's silly at all. I know exactly how it feels to be in love with someone that is in love with someone else." Kat looked over at Billy when he said that. For some reason she felt a pang of jealousy go through her. _**'Why do I feel this way? Why do I feel jealous when I heard that? I can't like Billy. I just can't. But… that's the only way I know how to explain why I'm jealous. I like Billy. I mean, I've always thought he was cute, but I was so caught up in Tommy, that I pushed it out of my mind.'**_

"Billy," She started, wondering if she should ask him.

"Yes Kat?"

"The person that you're talking about," she said, before she hesitated.

'_**She couldn't know, could she?' **_ Billy thought to himself, _**'How can I tell her that I love her?'**_

"Were you talking about yourself," she asked, "And was the other person me?"

He sighed, "Yes I was and yes it's you. I've always liked you Kat, and I know how you feel about Tommy, it's just…" His sentence was cut off by her fingers on his lips.

"I've always liked you Billy," she said to his complete astonishment, "But right now, as much as I'd like to, I don't want to get into a relationship with you until I sort out my feelings for Tommy. I've liked him for so long, that I just need to figure myself out."

"That's ok Kat," Billy said with a sigh and a smile, "I'm just glad you feel the same way and that you haven't rejected me."

"Will you wait for me?" She asked, "At least until I sort everything out?"

"Now that I know there's a chance we can be together, I'm not giving up on you or us," he said, and to her surprised he leaned over and gave her a soft kiss.

"What was that for?" she asked, though secretly pleased, "I've never known you to be so bold before Billy."

"Just thought I'd give you something to think about," he shrugged; a slight pink on his cheeks.

"Well, I'll definitely be thinking about it," She giggled, "Come on; you can finish walking me home."

"OK," he said. And the two of them continued on their way, talking about everything and anything.

_Florida: with Kim and Tommy_

As he walked towards the dorm building with Kim in his arms, Tommy couldn't help but smile and look down at the girl in his arms. She had stopped crying altogether by the time the gym doors had closed behind them. He had gotten looks from some people, but he hadn't cared. All he cared about was the girl in his arms. He got to the building and turned his attention towards Kim. _**'She looks so peaceful; almost like she's sleeping. I hate to disturb her, but I need to know which dorm is hers.' **_"Hey Beautiful, can you look at me for a second?" Kim shifted in his arms and buried her face further in his chest. Tommy chuckled, "Kim, I need to know what your room number is?"

Kim made a sound in the back of her throat at the thought of moving from his embrace. She sighed and lifted her head to look him in his eyes. The pure love and concern that she saw shining through was enough to make tears fill her eyes once more.

"_**Oh Tommy, I love you so much. I wish I could tell you everything, but I'm still afraid of what your reaction will be."**_

Tommy saw the look in her eyes and wondered at it. He wanted to ask, but knew that outside wasn't the place for that conversation, so he instead asked, "What's your room number Kim?" she sighed as she looked at him. She tried to open her mouth to tell him, but couldn't; so instead she moved one from around his neck and used her fingers to show him. Five…Zero…Three. He frowned as he wondered why she didn't say the numbers, but shook his head and kept walking.

_**I know you're wondering why I didn't speak Tommy, and I also know that you're going to wait until I'm ready to let you know.' **_ She tried to convey with her eyes gratitude at the fact he's not pushing her for answers about anything and for the fact that even though she hated the thought of anyone being near, he respected her enough to ask, _**'I'm in so much hurt Tommy, even if it did happen over a week ago. And you're being so nice to me, even though I don't deserve it. I'm so thankful for you.' **_

Feeling her gaze on him, Tommy stopped walking and looked down at her. He realized that she was staring at him intently, so he looked into her eyes. He realized with a jolt, that while different emotion flickered through her eyes, the spark that was always so bright in them was severely diminished. Something had happened to his 'Kim' to cause that to happen. He finally pinpointed the emotions that she was radiating. He gave her a brief smile, "You don't have to thank me Beautiful; I want to be here for you. I know that you're hurting Kim, I'm not stupid, but I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here whenever you're ready."

She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, she gave him a smile. It was very small, but Tommy was very happy for it. He smiled back and continued walking until he came to her door. He reluctantly set her on her feet, but kept his arm wrapped around her waist. He reached into her gym bag, and pulled out her key. As he opened the door, she leaned into him briefly then stepped in the room in front of him. He closed the door and set her bag on the table. He stood in front of her and held out his hands. She frowned, but then looked into his eyes and saw the question there, _**'Do you trust me?'**_

'_**Of course I trust you Tommy,' **_she thought while looking into his eyes, hoping that he would see the answer. When he nodded, she knew he had. He kept his hand out, his eyes never leaving hers. She hesitantly raised her hand and placed it inside of his. She watched as he smiled in relief and realized that despite the fact that they lived 3000 miles apart, he could still read her as strongly as before. He leaded them over to the couch and sat down. He paused as he thought about what he wanted to say. He knew he should ask about the letter, but right now is main concern is what happened back at the gym. Taking a deep breath he turned towards her, "Kim, I know I said that I would wait until you're ready, but I'm scared that something is wrong with you. So please, tell me what happened to you in the gym. Why did that girl say that you're so quiet and withdrawn?"

_**Why do you have to ask? Please don't make me tell. Please, just sit here and help me forget, I don't want to remember.**_

Tommy saw the panic in her eyes and felt her grip tighten on his hand, "Kim, please, I know you're scared Beautiful, but you know you can tell me anything."

She shook her head, _**'I'm not Beautiful, not anymore, so please don't call me that. And I want to tell you so bad, but I'm afraid.**_'

"What? Why did you shake your head?" He asked, "Because I called you Beautiful or because I said you can tell me anything?"

_**Both**_

"I know you're scared Kim, but please let me help you," He pleaded, "Tell me what's wrong? What happened to you Kim?" she dropped his hands and got up and paced. Tommy sat on the couch and watched as she wrapped her arms around herself. He could tell she was hurting, he could practically see it in her eyes. And it hurt that she wouldn't let him in.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**Why didn't he let it go? I don't want to remember, it hurts too much to remember. Why did you come here Tommy? Why couldn't you just stay away?**_

_She whirled around on him, anger present in her doe brown eyes._

_**YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. Well that's just too fucking bad. I can't tell you what happened. I won't tell you what happened. My parents already left me, I can't lose you too. And if I tell you what happened, I will.**_

_(No one's POV)_

Tommy saw the intense anger in her eyes and stood up. He was taken aback by it. But he also saw the pain beneath the anger as well, "Talk to me Kim, tell me what's wrong."

She shook her head, _**'I want to. I want to tell you so bad.'**_

Tommy looked in her eyes. He saw the pain and the fear that was there, and wondered at it. _**'Oh man Kim. What happened to you Beautiful? What happened to put so much pain in your eyes?' **_ Even as he thought it, he remembered the way she reacted in the gym, and what that girl had said about her being withdrawn. Something really bad had to have happened to Kim to make her so angry, so jumpy. As a thought formed in his head, he frowned. _**'No, it couldn't be? Could it? She's acting like she was attack.' **_ "Kim, did someone hurt you?"

She turned her head so fast towards him, that he might've worried about her getting whiplashed. Her eyes grew wide with something akin to fear and panic.

_**He can't know. I'll lose him for sure if he knew the truth.**_

Tommy watched her eyes and knew without a doubt that he was right. Someone had hurt her; someone had destroyed her trust in others, made her angry and jumpy. His blood boiled with anger at the thought of someone putting their hands on her. Again he begged her to tell him what happened, "Kim, please tell me. What happened to you? Is it why you won't talk?" he had noticed that she hadn't said a word since he got here. And according to the others, she hasn't spoken in awhile. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks. The sobs came from deep within her soul, and became harsher with each passing minute. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her middle as she cried. Tommy walked over and kneeled next to her. He slowly lifted his hand and placed it on her shoulder. He thought that she would pull away or flinched, but she surprised him when she moved into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Tommy closed his arms around her and sat on the floor rocking her gently back and forth. Tears ran down his cheeks as he listened to the sobs that tore their way through his girlfriend chest. He whispered so softly that you wouldn't hear unless you were right there. He told her over and over again that it was going to be ok. She pounded his chest with her fist, until she couldn't anymore. After awhile, her sobbing lessened, and she whimpered every now and then. He rubbed his hands down her back and kissed her forehead. _**'Oh Kim, I wish you'd let me in; tell me what happened. How can I help you if you won't tell me?' **_

_**Oh Tommy, I can't take this anymore. I want to tell you, but I'm scared of how you'll react.**_

"You ok?" He questioned. She shook her head no. "Kim, are you scared of telling me what happened?" she raised her eyes and looked at him.

_**You don't know how right you are.**_

She moved out of his arms and he let her. He watched as she made her way over to the table by the couch and picked up a pen and a notebook. She sat down on the couch, tucking her feet under and looked back at him. He got up and moved to the couch, shifting his body so that he was facing her. He watched as she started to write. He took that time to really look at her. Her oft, caramel colored hair hung to the middle of he back in a loose French braid, her cheeks were tear-stained, and her eyes red and swollen from all the crying she did. But he still thought she looked beautiful. She had stopped writing and was staring at the book, "Kim?"

She turned towards him and gave him the book. He took it and read what she wrote;

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke up with you, but the truth is, I was scared. I was afraid that if I told you what happened then you wouldn't want me anymore. I love you so much that I just couldn't bear the thought of you shunning me. Your anger I could handle, but never your disgust. _

He paused, "So there's no other guy?" even though he already knew the answer, he still had to ask. She shook her head no, and gestured back to the notebook. He felt elation and relief go through him. He had never told them, but there was a tiny part of him that thought she really had met someone else; and now he knew that was not the case. He, however, took the hint and continued reading;

_I haven't spoken since it happened, and the truth is, I'm terrified to. I wanted to call you and tell you so many times, but after what happened with my parents, I couldn't bear to hear the same thing from you; it would've have killed me. But it doesn't matter, I already feel dead inside. There's nothing I want more than to forever be in your arms. I've never told you this, but I always felt safest whenever I was in them. Like nothing could hurt me. I love you Thomas James Oliver; and it's because I love you why I'm so scared to tell you, but you've only been here a few hours and you've already proved that I have nothing to be scared about. I'm scared, I really am, but you deserve to know. _

He put the notebook down, and looked into her eyes, "You can tell me Kim, please, I want to know, I want to help." She took up the notebook and wrote something else then gave it back to him;

_I'm still scared on how you'll react._

"You don't have to be," he said, "I won't abandon you Kim, and I won't hurt you." she wrote again;

_I know. But you're still going to react._

"Let me be the judge of that Beautiful," he chucked slightly.

_Don't call me that, _she wrote.

"What, Beautiful?" he asked puzzled. She nodded then wrote; _I don't feel like that anymore. _ She ducked her head to hide her tears. He reached out and gently turned her face back to him, "It doesn't matter Kim, I'll always see you as Beautiful, not only for how you look, but for the type of person that you are. That's something that will never change." He reached out and rubbed her arm, and smiled when she leaned into him, "So, can you tell me why my girlfriend is in so much pain?"

She nodded and got up and went to her room. When she came back, he saw that she was holding a book that looked like a journal. She clutched the book to chest before taking a shuddering breath and passing over to him.

"Kim this is your diary," he said reluctantly and a little confused, "I can't read this." She took the notebook lying between them and wrote; _you have to. I can't tell you, but I can show you. It holds all my secrets Tommy; all. You have to read it to know what happened to me; to know why I wrote the letter. Please, do this. I think…I think I need your help, but I can't take it until you read this and then we'll see. Ok?_

"OK," he nodded, "If you're sure." She nodded. He gave a small smile and opened the diary. "Any where you want me to start?" she leaned over and turned the pages until she came to the entry a few days before the rape. She got up to leave the room to give him some privacy. When he grabbed her arm, she flinched and pulled away, "I'm sorry," he said, hurt present in his eyes, "I just wanted to ask where you were going." Kim felt shame flow through her when she saw the hurt in his chocolate brown eyes. _**Great, you haven't even read it yet and I'm already pulling away. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I can't stay here while you read it Tommy. Please forgive me for pulling away.**_

Tommy saw the self-loathing in her eyes and knew it was because of what just happened. He paused as his gaze flickered from the diary then back to her, "You want me to read this by myself?" she nodded her, glad that he understood. "Ok, I'll find you when I'm done." She gave a tiny smile and turned away, "Kim?" he waited until she turned back towards him, "Please don't pull away from me. Don't run away and don't give up on us. Please. I told you before, I love you and I'm going to fight for you. I'm not giving up on you or us Beautiful."

_**You don't know how much I want to believe that. But I thought my parents would never give up on me, but they still did.**_

She looked into his eyes and once again saw the pure love that was shining in them. For the first time since the rape, Kim felt the stirrings of hope and felt her heart start to rebuild.

_**But you've more than proven that you're not like them**_

She nodded to let him know she understood, then turned and walked into the kitchen. Tommy sighed as he watched her go. Knowing that he had seen the war battling in her eyes, but he had also seen the hope that blossomed. _**'You're going to be ok Kim. I'll make sure of it.' **_ He turned back to the diary and started reading the page she opened to;

_Monday February 28__th__ 1996_

_Dear diary,_

_I saw Michael again. Something seems wrong with him. He's been distant and sometimes I would find him staring at me. It really creeps me out, but I don't let it bother me. I talked to Jase awhile ago. Seems I was right all along. He and Trini finally decided to wise up and admit how they feel about each other. Now all that's left is to get Billy to admit how he feels about Kat, and to call Aisha and tell her she better tell Rocky by the time I come home summer. I really wanted to know how the team was doing, but I didn't ask. You never know who could be listening. I haven't heard from anyone in awhile, but that's to be expected. I miss them. I miss fighting along side them, but Sha has had plenty of time to get used to Kat being there._

Tommy stopped reading and frowned. _**'Kim doesn't know that Sha's not a ranger anymore?' **_he groaned, _**'Aww man, I can't believe I didn't tell her; I can't believe she doesn't know. I promise, I'm going to make it up to you.' **_ He continued reading;

_Well I've got to go to sleep. I'll worry about the others tomorrow. Maybe I can talk to one of the girls or guys and find out what's up with Michael. I think I'll call Tommy soon. I haven't heard his voice in awhile and I miss it. I miss him. Oh well, goodnight._

The next entry was dated three days later.

_Thursday March 2__nd__ 1996_

_I had such a bad night last night. Tommy would freak if he knew. I can't believe I let Denise and Suzie talk me into going out again. I don't know how those girls could drink so much. One beer and that was enough for me; the drinks that they had was just too strong. Thank God we're on spring break. It's a lot of fun here, but I miss Tommy and the gang. I miss hanging out at the youth center. Don't get me wrong, it's nice here, but sometimes I wish that I was back in the gym, practicing on the balance beam with Tommy and Jason or Tommy and Rocky sparring in the corner and the others just sitting and hanging around the table. I think I'm going to stay home tomorrow night, maybe get some practice in. I know we're on spring break, but I want to be good. I want that when I go to Olympics the gang will be proud of me. I don't think I could do this without their support; especially Tommy's. I love that guy so much. I know that it's hard on him having a girlfriend so far away, especially with his 'job', which is why I'm proud of him for holding on. Sometimes I wonder if he'll get tired of waiting for me, but then I get a call or a letter from him saying how much he misses me and then I realize how lucky I am to find someone so devoted and so loving to me. He's my whole world and I'm happy to know that I'm his. On a different note, Michael's still been acting weird. I tried talking to him, but he seemed in a hurry to get away from me. Sometimes he's always where I am, and other times, he's scarce. Oh well, later for now._

Tommy frowned. Something about that name seemed to be setting off his warning bell. For some reason, he had a feeling that the next few entries would not be good. He turned the page and continued reading. What he read made his eyes widen in anger, pain and disbelief. Kim stood in the entrance way and watched him. From the emotions flickering across his face, she knew that he had reached the part of the rape.

(This entry was dated about two days after the rape)

_Sunday March 5__th__ 1996 _

_Dear diary_

_Oh God, I can't believe it. How could this happen? I never should've stayed by myself. Michael, he…he raped me. How could he do that to me? I feel so dirty and ashamed. I mean, me, a former ranger, and I couldn't defend myself against him. I took so many showers trying to wash him away, but it's not enough. I trusted him, and he betrayed me in the worst way possible. I haven't told anyone else. I'm so scared. I wish Tommy was here. He'd know what to do; he would keep me safe. I want to go home. But I'm scared that he'll reject me. The only thing I'm glad for was that he was my first. And because of this, that Christmas home will always be my most treasured memory. I hate myself. I let this happen. What would the others think?_

Tommy paused as he read her words. Anger coursed through him at what had happened. He was angry at himself for not being there; and angry at Michael for destroying her and her trust. He tried to get his anger in control to finish reading the rest entries;

_Wednesday March 8__th__ 1996_

_Dear diary_

_I sent an email to my dad telling him what happened. I had hoped that despite what happened when I was young, that he would be here for me. I was so wrong. My dad called my mom and told her what happened. Then they both called and left messages. I couldn't believe it. My dad called me a slut and told me that I was just like my mom, spreading my legs for any guy. He said that Tommy wouldn't want anything to do with me. My mom, she was in denial. She said she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to accept that her precious child was tainted. So she wants nothing to do with me. Michael told me that Tommy wouldn't want me anymore because I was damaged goods. My parents abandoned me, who's to say that Tommy won't do the same thing?_

Tommy felt tears in his eyes as he read that entry. He couldn't believe the way her parents reacted. _**'No wonder she thought I would leave her. If her parents, the ones that are supposed to be there for her, could leave her, then what choice did she have but to believe that I wouldn't?' **_

_Friday March 10__th__ 1996 _

_Dear diary_

_I just sent the letter to Tommy. I chose the fast express, which means he'll get it later today. I didn't want to, but I just kept hearing their voices over and over again. I feel so dirty, so ashamed. How could I have let this happen to me? All I want is for Tommy to hold me in his arms and tell me everything's going to be ok, I want him to make me feel safe again. But every time I try to, I keep having that same dream. How could my parents do this to me? Why did my mom let go?_

_I can't believe I sent the letter. But I had to. I couldn't bear to see his eyes fill with disgust when he looks at me. I had a nightmare that I told him, and he turned away from me, saying that he couldn't be with me after I let myself get raped. The others were there as well. They told me that I didn't deserve Tommy and that they were ashamed that I was ranger because I was weak and couldn't defend myself. And it hurt. It hurt a lot to hear it, even though I know it was a nightmare. I'm afraid that it could become a reality. I can't take it. I had to let go; I had to let Tommy go. He can find someone that's whole, someone that's not damaged._

Tommy closed the diary and just sat there. He couldn't read anymore. Tears ran down his cheeks as he held the diary. Quiet sobs made their way out as he thought on what he just read. _**'Oh Kim, why didn't you tell me? Why did this happen to you? No wonder she didn't want anyone near her. That's why she finds it hard to believe when I tell her I'm not leaving. Her parents did and she thought it would only be right if I did as well.'**_ A noise to his right drew his attention. He turned and saw her standing there, tears streaming down her face. Once again, her arms were wrapped around her middle, this time he saw it as a way of protecting herself. He placed the diary on the couch and walked over towards her. When he got in front of her, he just stood there looking into her tear-filled eyes.

_**Please say something Tommy; anything. Tell me you understand and that you'll still be here for me. **_

He did nothing. He just stood there, tears in his eyes, looking into her.

_**I knew it. I shouldn't have told you. It hurts so much now, more than I ever thought possible. **_ She turned to leave, but gentle tug on her arm cause her to turn back. _**Just get it over with Tommy. Tell me that you want nothing to do with me. **_He looked into her eyes once more and saw the fear there; fear that he would reject her. He shook his head and smiled at her. She looked confused so he spoke, "I love you Kim."

_**What? Did I hear him right? No he can't mean that. **_

She shook her head in disbelief. She watched as he nodded and then felt his thumbs on her cheeks, wiping her tears away.

_**He can't love me, he just can't.**_

"I love you Beautiful," he said softly, "This changes nothing except to make me more protective of you. I understand that you're scared because of what happened with your parents, but I'm not them. I'm not going to leave you. I fought Zedd for you, and I'm not about to let some psycho come between us. So please don't push me away."

When she remained silent, he led her back to the couch. He picked up the notebook and pen and placed them in her hands, "Talk to me Beautiful, let me help."

She took them from him and just sat there staring off. After a minute, she started writing. When she was done, she passed the book to him. He took it and read what she wrote;

_I really was scared that you would reject me. It hurts Tommy, knowing that my parents did that. I thought that if they could throw me away; if they could say those things, then you would have every right to and I wouldn't blame you. I cry every night, wishing that happened was just a dream; wishing that you were here with me. You know now why I wrote the letter. There was never any one else, it's always been you. I'm scared of having people touch me. But when you showed up today, you did something that made me realize why I fell in love with in the first place. You asked me for permission. You didn't have to because you didn't know what was wrong. You just knew that I was hurting and you didn't want to make it worse. Hearing you say you didn't want me anymore would've been too much for me to handle. But now you're saying that despite what happened, you still want to be with me. You shouldn't be with someone that couldn't even defend themselves against one man when I have faced 100 putties._

"Kim look at me," he said, "You are not weak, ok? We deal with evil hell bent on taking over the planet. What you dealt with was just another form of evil. We are so used to Zedd and the others, that we never imagine the evil that some humans do. It is not your fault Kim, no matter what your parents say. You are not weak, you are incredibly strong and I love you. I am not rejecting you and I will never blame you for what happened." She took the book and wrote;

_I love you Tommy. I always have. I'm scared though. I'm scared that I won't be able to let go or get over it. I'm scared of losing you and your support. I'm scared that you're going to resent me if I can't be intimate again. I don't want to lose you Tommy._

"You won't," he assured her, "I'm not going anywhere. You're strong than you think Kim. You have the strength to get through this and I know you will. I will be right there to help you, every step of the way. And when you come home after the Olympics…" he trailed off as she shook her head, "What?" she took the pad and wrote;

_I'm not going to the Olympics._

"You're not?" he asked, she shook her head no

_I don't want to be away from you any longer. And I don't think I can handle being surrounded by all those people; having them touching me every minute. I want to come home with you._

"Are you sure about that?" he asked. Not tat he wasn't happy, he just wanted to make sure that it was what she wanted. She nodded. "Ok, then we're going home." He was happy to see that the light was already starting to return to her eyes. He was suddenly overcome with the need to kiss her, to make sure it was real. She touched his arms as she saw him fidget. He looked in her eyes and saw the question there. He sighed and asked, "Can I…? Would it be ok if I can kiss you? I mean I'd understand if it would make you…" he trailed as she touched her fingers to his lips.

_**Oh Tommy, what did I ever do to deserve you? You have more right than anyone else. But I'm glad you asked. Yes, you can kiss me.**_

She nodded. He leaned over slowly, eyes kept on her face, watching to see if there was any flicker of doubt. All he saw was her love, so he ever so gently claimed her lips in a sweet kiss, reminiscent of their first one by the lake. He pulled away and looked in her eyes, "I love you Kim, never forget that."

She looked at him, trying to convey her thoughts, _**I love you too Tommy, and I always will.**_

"I know," he smiled. She shook her head, knowing that he had understood without having to write, and smiled her first genuine smile. It wasn't her full smile, but to Tommy it was amazing. "Now come on, let's tell your coach and get you packed so that we can go home."

_**Home, I like the sound of that.**_

He got up off the couch and held out his hand. She took it and they walked out the door and back to the gym to inform the coach that he would be losing a gymnast.

A/N: I apologize about the long wait. So Tommy knows the truth now and he's still with her (did you have any doubts?). I hope it's not surprising to see that Rocky was the one to pick up on Billy's feeling for Kat and his insight on why Kat loved Tommy, or even why he was the first one to defend Kim. I chose him because I thought that he and Kim were about as close as she was with Jason, and that he was more observant than he let on. And if Billy was a little OOC, then I apologized.

A/N 2: next chapter will deal with Kim and Tommy talking to the coach, a little surprise from Zordon, and Tommy will meet Michael (cue suspense music). So read and review, and tell me what you think.


	4. Michael and Going Home

A/N: hey guys, this is a repost. Thanks to Jemlela for pointing out something to me. I said that Kim handed her diary over to the cops, but now I see that she couldn't do that because it has that she's a power ranger in it; so I had to go back and change it. Thanks for all your reviews; enjoy.

Disclaimer: still own nothing except Michael and all unfamiliar characters

The other gymnasts were standing around talking about Kim, when the doors opened. They looked up and saw Tommy heading towards them with Kim at his side. They could see that there was something different about her. Though she clung closer to Tommy, she looked a little more at ease than before. Coach Schmidt turned and waited until they were standing in front of him, before asking, "Tommy, I trust everything is ok?"

"Not yet," he answered. He turned his gaze to the woman at his side and smiled, "But it will be." Everyone could see the love in his eyes for her and stood in awe. Tommy turned back to the coach, "Actually there's something we have to tell you."

"What's that?" He asked.

"Kim has decided to head back to Angel Grove," he said.

"What? Why?" Denise asked. She couldn't believe that Kim was thinking about leaving.

"What do you mean?" the coach asked, a little disturbed at losing one of his prize gymnasts. Tommy had expected resistance. Kim had warned him about it when they were walking. But he didn't care. She was here and got hurt and no one knew. And he couldn't allow her to stay here. He wanted her where he could keep her safe. He had of course asked her again if she was sure that this was what she wanted, and she had assured him that it was. But he had also promised that he wouldn't tell anyone about what happened until she was ready.

"She's a lot more homesick than she let on," Tommy said, "And she feels that she couldn't be the top gymnast you need her to be if she's distracted all the time. She feels that it's time for her to return home."

"Why are you saying all this?" Denise asked, "Why don't you let Kimberly tell us this herself."

"Fine," Tommy said. He turned to Kim and she gave him a nod. She pulled the notebook out of her bag and handed it to her soon-to-be former coach. Coach Schmidt took the book and casted a puzzled glance in their direction, "What's this?"

"Just read it," Tommy said, "It's in Kim's handwriting, just so you know."

_Hey coach,_

_I know you're shocked by what Tommy just told you, but it's the truth. I'm quitting. I'm going back home to Angel Grove with Tommy today. I can't stay here anymore. I miss my family too much. I'm sure you've noticed that I've been distracted lately. I keep thinking about home and my mind isn't where it should be if I want to be ready for the competition, for any competition. I know that you think that maybe Tommy forced me into making this decision, but the truth is he didn't. He actually made sure that this is what I wanted, not for anybody, but for myself. You've been a wonderful coach, and I've made some wonderful friends, but I want to go home. I've already made up my mind. You've helped me to become a better gymnast than when I started here, and for that I thank you. I know that you guys must feel blindsided, but it is what I want. It's for the best, trust me. I'll miss you guys. D, you're a good gymnast. So stop berating yourself. Same goes to you Suze; you guys can do it, I believe in you. I want you guys to promise me that you will give it your all and you will bring that gold home. I'm going to miss you guys. Love Kim._

"So you really mean it?" the coach asked, "You're really going home?" she nodded.

"Are you sure Kim?" Denise asked, "I don't want you to go, but if this is what you want…"

"You're a great friend Kim," Suzie said, "And I'll miss you." When she moved to hug her, Kim took an involuntary step back. Suzie dropped her arms in confusion. Tommy put his hands on the small of Kim's back and said, "It's ok Beautiful, I'm right here." She looked up at him and nodded. She took a breath then stepped forward and gave Suzanne a hug. Just as quickly, she moved over to Denise and gave her a quick hug as well. She stood in front of her coach, and gave him a tiny smile, before giving him a quick hug as well.

"You're a great gymnast Kimberly," he said, "With a lot of potential. It's a shame to see you go, but I understand. I wish you luck in whatever you choose to do." He turned to Tommy, "Take good care of her."

"I will," he nodded. Kim took up her place next to Tommy once more and looked out at the two people that became her very first friends in Florida. She would miss them, but she couldn't stay any longer. She tugged on Tommy's hand to let him know that she was ready to go. He looked down at her and smiled, "OK. Well, we'll see you. Goodbye Coach Schmidt and it was great meeting you Denise and Suzanne."

"Goodbye and it was great meeting you Tommy," they both said. Tommy took Kim's hand and turned to walk back out the gym.

"What do you think that was about?" Suzanne asked as she watched them leave.

"I don't know," Denise said, "Whatever happened had to do with why Kim freaked out on the beam. My guess is he got her to tell him."

"You think she'll be ok?" Suzanne asked.

"I have no doubt about it," Coach Schmidt said, "That young man loves her very much, and he would do anything for her. Alright, let's finish up so you guys can enjoy the rest of your time." With that, the girls went back practice. When the others came in, they told them that Kim was leaving to go back home. Many of them expressed their frustration at missing her, while some were confused and others didn't care.

Kim and Tommy went back to the dorm to pack up her stuff. They were almost done when Tommy's communicator went off, "I read you Zordon."

"Tommy, I trust everything went ok?" he asked.

"Yes it did," Tommy said, "In fact we're about ready to teleport."

"That is why I have contacted you red ranger," Zordon said. Kim looked over at Tommy when she heard that. He could see the fear in her eyes that something maybe wrong.

"What is it Zordon?" he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No Tommy," he said to their relief, "But it has come to my attention that there might be some questions as to how you got Kimberly back to Angel Grove."

"Now that you mention it," Tommy said, "People might be suspicious if Kim doesn't go to the airport." Kim looked over at Tommy, wondering what was going on, _**does this mean I can't come home? **_

Seeing the question in her eyes, he reached over and rubbed her cheeks. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine," he whispered, "Trust me."

_**I do trust you Tommy. **_He smiled when he saw her answer in her eyes.

"I understand what you're saying Zordon," Tommy said, "What do you propose we do? I was kinda hoping on teleporting, so I have no money with me."

"I figured as much Tommy, which is why I had Alpha go ahead and book a flight for the both of you for tonight," Zordon said to their surprise. Kim looked back at Tommy, _**how did he do that?**_

"How did you manage that Zordon?" Tommy asked.

"I will explain everything once you and my crane are back in Angel Grove," Zordon said, "The plane leaves in 45 minutes. You should get to the airport. I'll contact the other rangers and let them know what time they should be there."

"Ok Zordon," Tommy said, "By the way, was there any trouble today?"

"No Tommy, there was not."

"Thanks Zordon," Tommy said, "Tommy out."

"See you both soon," Zordon said.

"Wow, I wonder how Zordon managed to do that?" Tommy asked. Kim shrugged her shoulders and went back to packing.

"You ok beautiful?" he asked, a little concerned. Hearing it, Kim turned back and walked towards him. She hesitated a little, then slowly raised her hands and held his face. She looked directly into his eyes so that he could see into hers, _**I'm fine Tommy. I just can't wait to go home. **_

He sighed, "OK, if you say so, and don't worry, we'll be home soon." She nodded and went to finish up her packing.

"Hey, I guess I'm getting better at understanding what you're saying without the pad," he laughed. She shook her head and headed to her room. She got the green checkered shirt that he used to wear in his green ranger days, and the white teddy bear that he gave her when she was in the hospital. She placed them in her bag, and went to get the rest of her clothes. Tommy helped her fold them and in no time at all, they were packed and ready to go.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**I can't believe it, I'm really going home. Tommy's been so wonderful since he got here. And he has gotten better at understanding me. **_(sighs) _**it felt so good to hear Zordon call me his crane. I didn't realize how much I missed it.**_

"Are you ready to go Beautiful?" Tommy asked.

_**Ready when you are Handsome. I can't wait. I'm scared, but I know that you'll be with me. I wish I'd never met Michael. I wonder how everyone's going to react when they see me. I'm terrified that they won't understand why I won't want anyone to touch me. **_

_(Tommy's POV)_

'_**Oh man, she looks so beautiful. Sometimes I can't get over how lucky I am to have her. But every time I look into her eyes and see the hurt and the cautiousness that wasn't there before, I just feel so angry. She never should've had to go through what she did. **_

"Are you ready to go Beautiful?" I asked her. I see her nod, but even before she did I saw the answer in her eyes. _**'I really am getting better at reading her eyes.' **_

_(No one's POV)_

Tommy walked over to her and grabbed the bag from her hands. He held out his free hand, silently asking her to take it. When she did, he opened the door and led them out. He closed the door behind them, after leaving the key on the counter, and walked down the stairs. They didn't say anything, but they didn't have to. It was enough for them to just be with each other. Just as they reached outside, Kim looked at her wrist and saw that she forgot the bracelet that Aisha had gotten her for Christmas. She pulled on Tommy's arm to get him to stop.

Feeling the tug, he looked down at her, "What is it Beautiful?" she raised her right wrist for him to see and circled it with her left hand. He looked at her for second very confused, "Did you forget something?" she nodded. He looked at her wrist again, this time noticing that it was her right wrist she was circling.

'_**She always used to wear her communicator on her left hand, but what did she wear on her right? Come on Tommy, think! The last time she was home was Christmas and she didn't have anything until Aisha…'**_ he trailed off his thoughts as the answer came to him, "Is it the friendship charm bracelet that Aisha gave you for Christmas?"

_**You remembered. **_

"Do you want me to go get it for you?" he asked.

_**Yes, if you don't mind. **_She nodded.

"Ok, I'll be right back," he turned to go back inside. Kim panicked when she realized he was leaving her out there alone. She grabbed his arm before he could take a step.

_**Wait; don't leave me here by myself. **_

He paused when he saw the panic in her eyes, and knew she was afraid. Taking her hand in his, he said, "Kim, look at me. You're going to be ok. I'm just going to run up and grab the bracelet and I'll be right back, ok? I promise, nothing is going to happen." _**'Please beautiful. I promise you Kim, and I'd never break one to you.' **_ Seeing the look in his eyes, she felt at calm and nodded to him. She let his arm go and watched as he dashed into the building. She looked around, trying to stop the growing panic from rising in her. As her gaze swung across to the gym, she froze in terror. There were some boys standing there, talking. But that's not what made her froze; between the boys was none other than Michael.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**Oh God, what am I going to do? I can't let him see me. He's not supposed to be here. Please don't let him see me. Tommy where are you? **_

Michael looked up and their eyes met. His became surprised before they gave way to a smile; which sent shivers down her spine. He left from the group and started towards her.

_**He saw me. Oh God he's coming over here. Tommy, why aren't you back yet? Please don't let him hurt me again. I can't take; I won't be able to handle it. **_

She felt a hand on her shoulder and flinched, but then she heard Tommy's voice, "Kim, are you Ok?"

_(Tommy's POV)_

I jogged up the stairs, taking them three at a time. I really wanted to get back to Kim. I reached her dorm, and opened the door. I headed straight to her bedroom, hoping that the bracelet would be in there; no such luck. _**'Where could that bracelet be?' **_I thought to myself. I came back out and was about to go into the kitchen when a glitter on the coffee table caught my eye. I turned towards it and saw that it was the bracelet. _**'Gotcha.' **_ I grabbed it, and ran back out the door; anxious to get back to Kim. As I came out, I could feel the tension and fear coming from her. I cursed myself for leaving her alone, but then I realized she didn't even know I was there and her attention was focused elsewhere. I reached out to touch her shoulder and when I saw her flinch, I dropped my arm. And instead I asked, "Kim, are you ok?"

_(No one's POV)_

Kim didn't answer Tommy, though she wanted to. She was too scared to answer him. Michael kept coming over, and she found herself stepping back until she hit Tommy's chest. She finally raised her eyes and Tommy could see the stark fear in them. He moved in front of her, unknowingly blocking her view of Michael, "Kim? Can you tell me what's wrong? What has you so scared?" she made a whimper in the back of her throat and looked over his shoulder at Michael, who was now a few feet away. Tommy turned around and finally saw who she was looking at. As he watched from the guy back to his girlfriend, he connected the dots.

"Kim was he the one…" he stopped and tried again, "Was he the one that raped you?"

She nodded as tears filled her eyes. Tommy felt pure rage rise up in him. He tried to hide as to not scare Kim, but knew that she saw it anyway. Before he could say anything though, Michael was standing right there, "Well, if it isn't sweet Kimberly." He was oblivious to the guy standing next to her, and even more so to the anger that was directed at him.

Kim took a step back, but Michael reached out and grabbed her hand. She whimpered and started struggling. She looked over at Tommy and saw his eyes flash green, she knew without a doubt that he was beyond pissed. Her thoughts were confirmed when he spoke, "If I were you, I'd let go right now."

Michael looked up at him in obvious confusion, but did not drop her arm, "Oh yeah and just who are you to tell me that?"

Tommy was struggling to control the anger inside of him. He knew just how much damage he could do if he let it loose, "The name's Tommy, her boyfriend, and I'm only going to say this one more time, get your hands off my girlfriend."

Now anyone else would have noticed the cold, unforgiving tone in Tommy's voice and knew that they were stepping in dangerous territory, but Michael was too cocky for his own good and didn't know just how close he is to getting his ass kicked.

Michael looked at Tommy then back to Kim, "Oh so you're Tommy. I see you did come after all. So tell me, did she tell you how much she begged me for it? How much she wanted it?" he had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Tommy pulled him away from Kim and slammed him into the wall.

"Listen to me you fucking piece of shit," Tommy said, rage coursing through him, "You raped my girlfriend. That was your biggest mistake. You have no idea how much I want to break your fucking neck right now. The only reason I'm not doing it is standing right next to me. I told you to let her go, you didn't. And then you went and said that; in front of me no less."

Michael finally heard the tone in Tommy's voice, and he was scared shitless. He hadn't paid attention to the guy before because he didn't think anything of it, but now he wished he had paid better attention. He had no doubt that he could do exactly what he said and he was scared. He tried to reason with him, "Look man—

"No you look," Tommy cut him off, "My girlfriend was hurt because of you. Do you see her right now? Do you see what you did to her?"

"Look I cared about her ok?" Michael said, "I loved her."

"Love?! Love?!" Tommy growled, "You don't know what the word means. Loving someone means always being there for them; it means giving them your unconditional support in everything that they do. It means staying strong for your girlfriend that's 3000 miles away from home and her loved ones, waiting for the day she comes home. It doesn't mean hurting the person that you claim to care about, and that's exactly what you did."

Michael whimpered, "You're hurting me."

"I haven't begun to hurt you yet," Tommy said. He was about to say something else, but felt a touch on his arm. He looked down at the hand then over to Kim. The fear and concern in her eyes jolted him. He looked again and realized that she was concerned for him, not Michael.

_**Don't do it Tommy, don't be like him. Please, just let him go and take me home.**_

Looking into her eyes, he saw what she was saying. She gave a tiny shake of her head and pleaded with him, _**please, just let him go. Don't let him provoke you. Let's go home, please? I want to get out of here and start my life again.**_

He gave a nod of his head to let her know he understood. He then turned back to Michael, "Listen to me, you come anywhere near her again and I promise you that when I'm through with you, you will be unrecognizable. Do you understand?"

When Michael nodded, Tommy let him go so abruptly that he fell to the ground, "I'm letting you go, pray and hope I don't _**ever**_ see you again." And with that, he took the bags and grabbed Kim's hand and walked off. Michael stayed on the ground, watching them leave. When they were out of sight, he got up. He was embarrassed and angry over what just happened. _**'This is not over.'**_

_(With Tommy and Kim)_

Tommy was still shaking with anger, though he tried to control it. He couldn't believe that he had gotten through a conversation with the scum that hurt Kim. He looked over at her and knew that it was because of her. He stopped walking and tugged on her hand so that she turned to face him. The residual fear that was in her eyes, stoked his anger. He sighed, "Kim, you know I'd never hurt you right?"

Startled, she looked up at him, _**of course I know that Tommy. Why would you think that?**_

"It's just…I know that you're scared, but I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at him," he said, "And I know that being there next to him after what happened, you were terrified, but I want to thank you."

_**Thank me? For what? **_She wondered.

He smiled, "For being there. Because you were there, no matter how angry I was, and no matter how much I wanted to, I didn't give in to it. I love you Kim, no matter what. And I'll always be there for you."

_**I know Tommy. I'm so thankful you came after me. **_She looked back at him and saw another question in his eyes. She touched his arm, _**what is it?**_

"I know that this might not be something you want to hear, or would be too terrified to do, but…" he trailed off. He looked at her and got the courage to say, "I think that we should stop by the police station." Seeing the panic in her eyes he hurried on to finish his thought, "Kim think about it. If you turn him in, you can stop him from doing it to some other girl."

_**I don't know if I can. It's been so long since it happened that I don't know what to do or say. I'm scared of talking though.**_

"I know you're scared, but can you honestly say that you won't feel guilty if he does this or something worse to someone else and you could've prevented it? I know you Kim, you would feel guilty."

_**You're right, I would.**_

"And you don't have to worry, I'll be right there with you," he said, "You can write everything that you want to say or even give them you're diary if you don't feel like writing. I'll be there every step of the way, you won't be alone." She was scared, but she took one look into his eyes and as always, his strength washed over her and gave her the strength to do anything. She gave tiny smile that was filled with trepidation, and nodded her head.

"Ok? You will do this?" he asked. He smiled and gave a sigh of relief when she nodded. He held out his hands and they walked to the street to call a cab. They stopped by the Miami Police Department to file the report. A male officer came out to take their statements, and had asked Tommy to leave; but Kim was scared, so Tommy suggested that they use a female cop instead, and to allow him to stay. The officer understood and allowed him to remain with her when she refused to allow him out of her sight or reach. He explained what he knew, and told them that she hadn't spoken a word since. He had initially thought to hand over her diary, but then remembered that she had written about being a ranger, so he instead asked for a pen and a legal pad. Kim took them and wrote everything down; from when she left the gym to when she got home. She explained why she waited so long to come forward, and why she was leaving Florida now. The attending officer, Sergeant Maria Daniels, said she understood and explained that it wasn't uncommon for victims to do that. He told them about his confrontation with Michael and about why Kim was leaving Florida. Tommy and Kim were surprised to learn that Michael was actually Alexander Davis. And he was wanted by the Palm Springs Police Department for the attack and rape of a young woman. At the end, Tommy realized that they would be late to the airport and voiced his concerns. The cops decided to thank them for their help by taking them to the airport. They got there with five minutes to spare. He thanked the cops and then made his way to check-in with Kim at his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led them to a chair. About five minutes after they sat down, they heard the call for their flight. Thanks to Zordon, all he had to do was show ID for the both of them and then they boarded the plane. He found their seats with ease and led them down the aisle. When he came to them, he stopped, "Kim why don't you take the window seat? That way, you won't have to worry about anyone brushing on you."

_**What did I do to deserve you? You're so thoughtful and kind. **_She thought. She nodded and moved into the seat. As he buckled them both, he looked over at her, "Sleep beautiful, and when you wake up, we'll be home."

_**I like the sound of that. **_She closed her eyes and felt him press a kiss to her head. _**I love you Tommy and I can't wait to go home.**_

'_**Everything's going to be ok,' **_he thought, _**'I promise.'**_

As he was dozing off, he noticed Kim shifting around and asked, "What's wrong Kim?"

She looked around for a few seconds before pointing to his pocket, "What?" he asked, before he reached in and pulled his cell phone out, "Is this what you want?" she nodded.

"Ok," he said and then gave it to her. He watched her type something and then hand the phone back to him. He took it and read;

_Can you get the teddy bear out of the bag for me? I can't sleep without it._

He nodded and reached up in the overhead compartment and pulled the bear out. He gave it to her and watched as she clutched it to her chest before laying her head back on his shoulder. In no time at all, she had fallen asleep. He smiled and closed his eyes, knowing that in a few short hours, they'd be home.

A/N: alright, so that was the repost. Tell me what you think, again, (lol). If the station scene seemed rushed, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get Kim and Tommy out of Florida. So anyway, continuing reading and reviewing; I love to read them.

A/N 2: on a side note, should have secrets chapter up soon. I think I might make it into three parts, being that it will be the revealing chapters. All of the secrets will be out in the next few chapters.


	5. Home Again

A/N: hey guys. It's the long awaited chapter. It's only like 15 pages long. It might be a little confusing, so I apologize in advance. But I hope you guys enjoy it.

A/N 2: own nothing, except the steward and stewardess. Enjoy.

_(With the others)_

Billy and the others were setting up the youth center for the surprise party for Kim when she came home. Zordon had contacted them earlier and told them that the two would be arriving later on tonight at about 8:30 p.m. When they had asked as to why Tommy didn't just teleport back, he told them what he told Tommy and said that he would explain everything when they got back. They nodded and decided to throw Kim a party and had asked Ernie to use the center. He didn't mind and they got started. Tanya didn't know Kim so she had opted to stay behind. Not wanting her to feel left out, Kat had decided to stay as well. Adam decided to stay as well, saying that it didn't need all of them to go and that the girls would need help; though secretly it was just because he wanted to spend time with Tanya before Kim and Tommy came back. So as it was, Billy and Rocky were the only two going to the airport, but they didn't mind as Rocky couldn't wait to see Kim again.

"Man it's going to be so much fun when Kim gets home," Rocky said as he bounced around the place helping the others set up.

"Excited are we?" Tanya teased.

"You know," Billy started, "You remind me so much of Zack when you're like this."

"Thanks," Rocky said. The others laughed at the look on his face.

"I can't wait to see Kimberly," Kat said, her accent coming through more pronounced in her excitement, "It's been ages since I've been on a really good power shopping spree."

"Yeah," Tanya smiled, "I can't wait to meet the queen power shopper herself."

"You'll really like her Tanya," Adam said, "I promise."

"Enough talking and more decorating," Rocky interrupted. He moved out of the way when Adam brought up his hand to smack him. Tanya just laughed and shook her head as she watched him set up some more stuff. She turned to Adam, "He is really excited about her coming home, isn't he?"

Adam looked over at Rocky. The boy was practically dancing as he helped Billy. He really was like Zack when he was excited. He had a soft smile on his as he turned back to Tanya, "Yeah he is. Kim's like a little sister to him. I mean all of us guys; me, Billy, Jase, him and Zack all look to her as our little sister. But sometimes I think he and Jase does it more than the rest if us. Plus when Jase and the others left, Jason made Rocky promise him something."

"What?" she asked.

"He made him promise to always be there for her," Adam said, "To always listen whenever she wants to talk, especially if Tommy messed up and to never judge her, even if she makes mistakes, whether huge or small. I think Rocky was more moved by that request more so than from being the red ranger."

"How do you figure?" she asked softly.

"Well, think about it," he said, "Jason always looked to Kim as his baby sister, he was always protecting her, even though he knew she could take care of herself. He's very protective when it comes to Kim and doesn't tolerate her being hurt by any body, especially boys. He was wary about guys always asking her out, because he thought that they weren't good enough and that they would hurt her. Tommy was the exception, who is even more protective of Kim than Jason. So when Jason asked Rocky to practically be Kim's big brother, he was saying that he not only trusted him with the powers but with taking care of one of the most important people in his life."

"Wow," Tanya said. She kept silent as she thought about what Adam had just told her. She knew that Kim was special just by how Tommy talked about her, but to hear it from someone else's point of view was interesting, "She really is something special, isn't she?"

Adam gave pause as he thought about it. A smile came to his face as he thought about his little sister, "Yeah she really is. She just has something about her that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable, and because she's so full of energy, so full of life, it just makes you want to protect her; even though she doesn't need it."

"I can't wait to meet her," Tanya said.

"Don't worry," he said as he put his arm around her shoulder, which caused a shiver to go through her body, "You'll really like her. Now come on, let's get back to decorating before Rocky gets on our case." She laughed as she stood up and walked off with him.

"So what time should you guys be at the airport?" Kat asked a little while later.

"At about 8:20," Billy said. Kat looked at her watch, then to the clock on the wall of the youth center. She turned back to Billy, "Well then you guys better get going. It's already 8:05 and it's a twenty minute drive to the airport."

"Oh shit," Rocky said, "We're going to be late and Tommy's going to kill us."

"Not if we leave now," Billy said, "Come on, let's go."

"See you guys later," Rocky called over his shoulder as he and Billy hurried out the youth center.

"Bye," the others waved back before turning back to their work; hoping to be finished before they came back.

_(With Kim and Tommy)_

Tommy laid his head back on the head-rest, watching the on-flight movie. He had his arm around Kim's shoulder so that her head was resting in the crook of his arm. He had placed the head phones on his head because he wanted her to get as much sleep as possible before the plane landed at the Angel Grove airport. He laughed silently at a scene in the movie but stopped when he felt Kim shift around. He glanced down at her and was happy to see she was still sleeping. He placed a kiss on her forehead and turned his attention back to the movie. About half an hour later, the captain's voice came over the intercom;

"_I ask that all seatbelts be fastened as we will be descending at the Angel Grove airport in ten minutes."_

Tommy placed the headphones that he had taken off five minutes earlier, in his bag. He then turned to Kim and gently shook her shoulders, "Hey Beautiful, it's time to wake up."

Kim moaned as shifted. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into Tommy's. He smiled at her and said, "We're landing soon."

She opened her eyes wide, and looked around, _**I can't believe it; I'm almost home. I wonder how everyone will react.**_

"Don't worry Kim," he said as he saw the look in her eyes, "They all miss you and they can't wait to see you." she gave a slight smile and nodded. As they heard the captain's voice again, Kim took a deep breath as she felt the plane touch down. It taxied down the runway for a good five minutes before coming to a stop. As the fasten-the-seatbelt sign turned off, Tommy unbuckled his and reached up for Kim's carry-on bag. He moved to the aisle to allow her to get out. When a guy brushed on her as he passed, she panicked and froze. Seeing what happened, Tommy turned towards her, "You ok?"

_**No, I'm not. **_She shook her head. Looking around, he saw how many people were behind him. He looked back at Kim and said, "How about this? We can sit here until everyone leaves; that way, you don't have to worry about anyone touching you."

_**OK,**_ she nodded. Tommy moved back to the seat and she wrapped her arms around his. The stewardess cam back to see if they need help, but he shook his head no. she gave them a smile and turned back to the front. When the last person had left, a young woman with her child, he stood and held out his hand. She took it and they made their way out of the plane. As they got off, the steward reached forward to shake their hands. Kim stepped back and moved herself slightly behind Tommy's arm. The steward looked confused for a moment and turned to Tommy, "Don't worry about it man, she's a little skittish around everybody."

The steward looked from Kim to Tommy and then back to Kim, his brow still furrowed in confusion before it cleared and he turned back to Tommy with a sympathetic smile, "Take care of her. Let her know that she can trust you and that you'll always be there for her."

Kim looked out in surprise before she turned her gaze to Tommy, her eyes asking a question, _**How does he know something happened?**_

Tommy shrugged his shoulders and turned to the guy, "Why do you say that?"

"Because I can see it her eyes and I saw the way that you were protecting her from everyone on the plane," he said. He paused for a minute before continuing, "And because the same thing happened to my sister a few months ago."

Kim's eyes held sympathy in them as she heard what he said. Tommy looked on in the same manner and said, "I'm sorry that she went through that."

"Thanks," he said, "And I'm sorry that your girl is going through it. Like I said, take care her; she's going to need you more than normal."

"Thanks man," Tommy said. He turned and looked down at Kim, "Ready to go Beautiful?"

She looked up at him and nodded. He untangled his arm from between hers and wrapped it around her shoulder, drawing her into the crook of his arm. She nestled her head on his chest and they turned to walk off. About two feet away, she turned and gave a small wave to the steward. He waved back and mouthed 'Good luck' to her. She turned back to Tommy and the two carefully made their way through the crowds. They had just reached some seats when they heard a voice, "TOMMY, KIMBERLY, OVER HERE!" the two turned towards it, and saw Rocky and Billy making their way towards them.

…

True to his word, Billy and Rocky arrived at the airport with five minutes to spare. They stopped at the check-in and asked about the flight and found out that it had just arrived. They made their way up the stairs to the waiting area. As they got on the escalators, Rocky turned to Billy, "So why do you think Kim wrote the letter?"

"I don't know," Billy said, "I have a few theories, but until we speak directly to Kim or Tommy, that's all they are."

"Well I don't care," Rocky said, "All I know is that Kim's coming home and I get to see my little sister again."

"You really do miss her, don't you?" Billy said softly.

"Yea don't you?" he asked.

"Yes I do," Billy said, "Very much. Next to Trini, Kim was always the one I felt most comfortable with. She was always the one that made me participate in a lot of the activities when we were kids. The others used to ask, but I would always decline, but she wouldn't let me. She used to insist that I play with them, no matter what the game. She was always looking out for me, even though I considered her my little sister."

"I know the feeling," Rocky said, "She's really protective of her friends. I really miss her, a lot. Next to Aisha and Adam, she's knows me better than anyone. I miss how her smile lights up a room and how she can make you feel better in an instant. I miss hearing her laugh."

"So do I," Billy said, "Come on, they should be getting off soon." Rocky nodded and the two made their way over to the waiting area. When they got there, they saw that the plane had already unloaded, and looked around for their friends. After about three minutes, Rocky spotted them, "There they are."

"Where?" Billy asked.

"Right there," Rocky pointed excitedly. Billy looked to where he was pointing and saw his two friends standing by some seats.

"TOMMY, KIMBERLY, OVER HERE!" Rocky shouted before he took off for the two. Billy winced but followed after him. He was looking over at Kim and Tommy and saw the way that Tommy was shielding Kim's body from passersby. He noticed Tommy's arm around her shoulder and saw that Kim was leaning into his body, using it more as a shield than anything. _**'That's strange.' **_He let his gaze travel to Kim's face and saw that her eyes, which were usually warm and full of emotions, were a little dull and was filled with pain. He slowed his walk as his brow furrowed in confusion, _**'Did something happen to Kim?' **_

Rocky dodged through the people and made his way over to Kim and Tommy. Tommy chuckled as he saw Rocky coming at them with the biggest smile on his face. He looked down at Kim, "I told you Beautiful, everyone's glad you're home." She gave a tug on his arm and shook her head. She turned back to see Rocky coming towards them, as he got closer her heart started pounding and she found herself slowing before she stopped completely. She gasped softly when he was a few feet away and started shaking. Tommy felt it, and looked down at her, "Kim? Beautiful are you ok?" she didn't answer, all he heard was her saying no over and over again softly. She pulled her hand out of his and stepped back. Looking into her eyes, Tommy knew she had gone back into a memory.

She was stuck and she knew it. It was the same memory from before;

_She looked back and saw Michael coming towards her._

…_Michael coming towards her…_

…_coming towards her…_

The memory kept replaying over and over again. She shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes. When Rocky reached them, he went straight to Kim, but before he could touch her, Tommy had stepped in front of him, "Rocky, wait," he said, "Don't touch her."

Rocky stopped, a little confused as to why Tommy told him that. Billy arrived just in time to hear Tommy's request. He too furrowed his brow. He looked at Rocky about to ask him what was up, when he heard a whimpering sound. Both he and Rocky turned to the noise, and saw Kim behind Tommy, tears in her eyes. They watched as Tommy sighed, before turning his attention to his girlfriend.

"Kim? Kim look at me please," he pleaded, "I'm right here Kim. I'm not going anywhere, just please look at me."

(_Kim's POV)_

_**Why won't that memory stay away? Why does it keep haunting me? It's only Rocky.**_

"_Kim? Kim look at me please," Tommy pleaded, "I'm right here Kim. I'm not going anywhere, just please look at me." _

_**Oh Tommy. I keep freaking out. How can you still want to be with me?**_

_She kept her head bowed, __**I can't look at you; it hurts too much. **_

"_You can trust me Kim," Tommy said, "You know you can. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Beautiful please, just look at me." _

_She raised her head towards him, __**I'm so sorry; for everything.**_

_(No one's POV)_

Billy and Rocky watched as Kim bowed her head and kept it down. They could see her shoulders shaking silently. Around them, a few people paused to see what was happening to the young girl. Tommy looked at Kim, oblivious to the others, "You can trust me Kim," he said, "You know you can. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Beautiful please, just look at me."

She raised her head towards him, _**I'm so sorry; for everything.**_

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Tommy said, "I love you Kim, and I promise you that I'll always be here. And so will everyone else. And don't worry, they will understand, you'll see."

_**You always know what to say to make me feel better.**_

"Of course I do," He said with a smile, "I love you, you love me; so it stands to reason that I would know what to say to make you feel better. Besides, you always do the same for me."

_**Never let me go Tommy; promise me that you'll always be there.**_

Seeing the look in her eyes, he nodded, "I promise. Are you ready?"

She nodded. She looked at Rocky and Billy, who both had looks of confusion on their faces, and then back to Tommy, _**Do you think that Rocky will forgive me or understand why I'm scared to have them touch me?**_

As he saw her look at Rocky and Billy and then back at him, he saw the question in her eyes. He smiled and slowly leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and then said, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. And whenever you're ready, we'll tell them. OK?" she nodded.

"Do you want to tell us what's going on?" Billy said

"Yeah," Rocky added, just a little hurt, "Like why Kim freaked out when I went to hug her."

Tommy sighed and then looked at Kim before he looked back to his friends, "Look guys, I know you want answers, but I can't give them to you, I'm sorry." Kim looked at Rocky and saw the hurt in his eyes and was ashamed at it. She never meant to hurt him. She tugged on Tommy's arm.

"What is it Kim?" he asked when he felt the tug. She turned her gaze to Rocky before bringing it to him. She slid her gaze to his pocket, he looked down to where her gaze was and saw his phone. He turned back to her and said, "You want my phone?" When she nodded, he took it out and gave it to her. She typed something and handed it back to him. He took it from her and read it to himself;

_Could you tell Rocky that I'm really sorry? I never meant to cause the hurt in his eyes. I wish I'd never come home. I keep hurting everyone._

"Kim look at me," he said. He waited until she raised her eyes to him before speaking again, "Don't you ever say that, you hear me? Rocky's only hurt because he doesn't know what happened. He will, whenever you decide to tell. But don't think that you don't deserve to be here. I told you before, I love you and I'm not going to let you go. You're going to beat this Kim, and I'll be there every step of the way." She nodded. They turned back to Rocky and Billy, who still had looks of confusion on their faces.

"Look guys," Tommy said, "I know that you're probably curious about what we're talking about, but you guys just have to trust me, and trust when I say that when it's time, you guys will know."

"Ok Tommy," Billy said. Rocky nodded his head. He looked at Kim, still a little excited about her being home. Tommy saw the question in his eyes and turned to Kim with a question in his, _I think he wants to hug you, can he? _ She gave him a tiny nod. Tommy turned back to the guys and waited until he caught Rocky's attention. When he did, he mouthed the words 'ask her if you can hug her'. He saw Rocky nod before turning his attention to Kim.

"Kim," he said and waited until she looked at him, "Can I hug you?"

Kim looked up at Tommy. He gave a tiny nod, and said, "It's ok Beautiful." She turned back to Rocky and nodded her head. Rocky looked back at Tommy, who again mouthed something to him, _Go slow. _He turned back to Kim, very slowly, walked over to her. He stopped directly in front of her and opened his arms. She hesitated for a minute, before stepping forward. When his arms closed around her, she closed her eyes and sighed. When he heard it, he whispered into her hair, "I missed you little crane, welcome home."

When she heard that, tears filled her eyes. _**Oh God, it's been so long since I heard that. I really missed it. **_

Billy waited until Rocky let Kim go, before stepping forward and asking the same question, "Can I have hug as well?" She nodded and moved towards him. When his arms wrapped around her, he said, "Welcome home lil sis." The tears that had filled her eyes spilled over and ran down her cheeks. She started crying silently. Billy let her go in confusion and watched as she turned into Tommy's chest. He rubbed his hand up and down her back in an attempt to soothe her.

"Are you alright?" Tommy asked. She nodded and looked at him; _**I'm just a little surprised.**_

"I know, but I told you that everything was going to be fine," he said to her as he wiped her tears away.

_**I know, and I'm starting to believe that.**_

"Ok," he turned back to the other two, "Let's get out of here guys."

"Yes, let's," Billy said. Both he and Rocky grabbed Kim's bags and walked off. Tommy pulled Kim back into the crook of his arm and followed Billy and Rocky out. The four of them got into Billy's car, (he turned the redbug into a decent looking car), with Tommy and Kim in the back and Rocky in the front. The drive back to the youth center was quiet. About ten minutes from the youth center, Tommy looked down at the woman in his arms and noticed that she had fallen asleep. He chuckled and shifted his body so that she was more comfortable. Hearing the chuckle, Rocky asked, "What's so funny?"

"Shhh," he said, "Kim fell asleep."

"What?" Rocky said, "She can't be asleep." He turned in his seat and looked back and noticed that Kim was indeed asleep. He looked at Billy.

"Well I can assure you," Tommy said, "She _is _asleep." He noticed the look that Rocky gave Billy, "What is it?"

"Well, it's just that," Billy said, "The girls and us had decided to throw Kim a surprise party. But since she's sleeping…"

"You guys were going to do that?" Tommy asked.

"Rocky nodded, "Yep, we were. We came straight from the youth center and left the others finishing up."

Tommy looked down at Kim before bringing his gaze back to the others, "Well then I think it's a good idea that she fell asleep then."

"Why do you say that Tommy?" Billy asked.

"Did something happen in Florida?" Rocky asked. Tommy closed his eyes to ward off the rage that he knew would come if he thought too long about what happened.

"Yeah something happened," he said.

"What about the letter?" Billy asked, "Did you at least get some answers?"

"Yeah I did," Tommy said.

"And?" Rocky said.

"And there was no other guy," he said, "She wasn't concentrating on her gymnastics or on anything else. And she thought that something was off with her and because of the rangers, she didn't want to worry me anymore than necessary. She thought that if she told me, I would be too worried about her to do my job and that I could get hurt or that one of us could get hurt and she couldn't handle that."

"So by breaking up with you," Billy stated, "She could guarantee that she wouldn't be tempted to tell you and was indirectly protecting you."

"Yeah," he said.

"Okay," Rocky said, "So what about the party?"

"She wouldn't have enjoyed much," Tommy said, "If you hadn't noticed, she's a little skittish."

"Yeah, we did notice that," Rocky said, "What's up with that?" Billy remained silent as he heard Rocky's question. The truth was he too wanted to know what had Kim so nervous.

"I can't say," Tommy said, "And it's not because I don't want to, it's because I promised not to."

"But you will tell us, right?" Rocky asked.

"I will," Tommy said.

"Well, we're here," Billy said as they pulled into the youth center's parking lot.

"Kim's still sleeping?" Rocky asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

Tommy looked down and said, "Yeah, hold on." He gently shook her shoulders, "Kim? We're here." She moaned and buried her head further in his chest. The guys laughed silently. "I know that you'd rather sleep, but wouldn't you rather see everyone?"

She shifted again, but this time she opened her eyes to look at him. She yawned softly and turned her attention to the two in front.

"Hey sleeping beauty," Rocky said, "Nice of you to join us." She gave him a tiny smile before she looked around in confusion. She turned to Tommy, who read the look correctly and answered her, "We're at the youth center. I know that you're probably tired, but Rocky and Billy thought it'd be a good idea to see the others before I take you to my parent's place. Is that ok?"

She nodded her head and opened her door. She stepped out, the others following, and waited until Tommy came around to her side before moving. Billy and Rocky stood in front of the two of them.

"Kim, are you sure you're up for this?" Billy asked. She looked back at Tommy, who smiled at her, before turning back to Billy and nodding.

"Well ok then," Rocky said, "Let's go." The four of them walked to the doors of the gym, with Rocky in front, Kim and Tommy in the middle, and Billy at the back. They opened the doors and walked in. when they got inside, Kim was shocked to see the place decorated. She looked around and saw a 'Welcome Home Kim' banner hanging from the roof. Tears welled in her eyes, as she noticed just what her friends did for her. Kat and Tanya were standing with Adam when Tanya spotted them. She said something to Kat and Adam and they both turned to look to the door.

"Oh my God, Kimberly," Kat said.

At her exclamation, everyone turned and yelled out, "WELCOME HOME KIMBERLY!"

Kim smiled softly and watched as Kat, Tanya and Adam made their way over to her. Adam, like Rocky, went to hug her but was confused when she stepped back and Tommy stepped in front of her. He turned to Rocky and Billy and saw that they were looking at Kim. Kat and Tanya looked at each other puzzled before turning back to the others. Kim had her eyes closed and was breathing a little hard.

Tommy rubbed her arms and was whispering to her, "Breathe Kim, it's ok."

_(Kim's POV)_

_**I can't believe I'm freaking out like this. It's just Adam. Just like it was only Rocky. Breathe Kim, breathe. They're not going to hurt me. They did all this just for me, because they missed me.**_

"_Breathe Kim, it's ok," Tommy whispered as he rubbed her arms. She opened her eyes and looked directly at him. He smiled at her, which caused her to smile in return._

_(No one's POV)_

"You ok?" Rocky asked as he hovered near.

She turned towards him with a smile, _**I'm getting there.**_

Rocky looked on in confusion, still waiting for her answer. Kim noticed it and turned to Tommy.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Tommy asked.

_**I'm fine Tommy. I have you and my friends. **_

Tommy smiled as he saw he saw the answer in her eyes, "You will be alright, I promise you that."

She closed her eyes. She thought about what her parents had said and about the nightmare that she had. She took a deep breath and reopened them. She looked directly at Tommy; _**they were wrong. My friends are here. They're not going to abandon me like I thought.**_

Tommy wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "I promised you, didn't I? We're all here, and we're not going anywhere, especially me."

"How the hell did you do that?" Rocky asked as he looked between the two. The others were looking at him in awe and surprise as well.

"Do what?" Tommy asked puzzled. He turned his gaze to Kim and saw that she was just as puzzled, _**what are they talking about? **_She asked with her eyes. Tommy shrugged and looked back at the others.

"See?" Rocky said, "That, what you just did. You understood what she said and she didn't even talk."

"Come to think of it," Billy said, "I haven't heard Kim talk since you guys got here. You have been acting like a translator since we picked you guys up."

"What are you guys talking about?" Tanya said.

"When we got to the airport," Rocky said, "Tommy was the only one that was talking. Kim was quiet the entire time. But that didn't stop Tommy from talking with her. It seemed that all he did was take one look into her eyes, and knew exactly what it was that she wanted to say."

"Really?" Kat asked.

"How _did _you do that Tommy?" Adam asked.

"I have no idea," Tommy said, "I've always been able to tell how she feels just by watching the expressions in her eyes. It's no different now." By now everyone else had come over to give their welcome. Kim stiffened in Tommy's arms and he pulled her closer to him. When a guy from school reached out to touch her, Rocky stopped him.

"You don't have to touch," he said, "Just say what you have to say and let someone else talk, ok?" the guy looked like he was about to protest but stopped when he saw the way Tommy's eyes harden. Everyone at school knew never to mess with Kim, especially when Tommy was around.

He nodded and turned to Kim, "Welcome home Kim. We all missed you." he waited for her to say something, but when she didn't he shrugged and walked off. Everyone else came forward to offer their own welcome homes. Rocky saw that Kim was getting a panicked look in her eyes. _**'She's scared of everyone being so close to her and touching her, even us. Something big happened to her, and whatever it was, she's freaking out now because of it. I have a theory on what happened, but I hope to God I'm wrong.' **_ Seeing the way Tommy was protecting her and the panicked look in his little sis' eyes, he turned to the group, "Ok people, break it up. Yes, Kim's home, but let's give her some room to breathe and some time with her close friends, alright?" Everyone stopped, waved at Kim before turning and walking off. Billy and the others turned to Rocky, wondering why he just did that, but Tommy just smiled.

"Thanks Rocky," he said. Rocky turned and looked at him, "it's nothing; I just did what I had to do." He smiled and Tommy laughed. He then turned his attention to Kim.

"Little crane, are you going to be ok?" he asked softly. Kim raised her head and looked at him. She saw understanding in his eyes and knew that he was slowly figuring out what happened. She smiled at him and nodded her head. She then tugged on Tommy's shirt so that he could look at her. When he turned his gaze towards her, she shifted hers to Rocky before bringing it back to him. Tommy looked at Rocky, and saw the compassion in his eyes. He then looked back at Kim. He saw the small smile on her face and saw what was in her eyes, _**I think he's figuring it out.**_

"I think you're right Kim," Tommy smiled.

"Right about what?" Tanya asked.

"Nothing," Rocky said, "Don't worry about it. When it's time for us to know, we'll know." He smiled when Kim sent a smile filled with gratitude towards him. After awhile, the party was going. The others hadn't moved from their spot, but that was ok with them. They laughed and told Kim about what they had been up to, all the while aware of where they were and who could overhear. When Tanya made a comment, Kim finally registered who was talking to her and looked over at Tanya in confusion. Seeing the look on her face, Tanya smiled and said, "I'm Tanya. I replaced Aisha when we switched in Africa."

Kim furrowed her brow, _**replaced Sha? How come I don't know about this?**_

"Kim?" Tommy said, when she looked at him, he continued, "I'll explain everything fully later, but the short version is, we got our powers destroyed and needed a new one. When we got it, Aisha chose Tanya to replace her."

Kim nodded and gave a tiny wave to Tanya. She looked around at them and saw that Adam was still watching. _**Just like Rocky at the airport, **_she thought. She realized he was still waiting on a hug, so she took a hesitant step forward, stopped and took another step until she was in front of him. He looked towards Tommy and the others. He saw Rocky mouthed something to him. He looked at him again and read his lips, _'ask her'_. He nodded and turned to Kim, "Can I please hug you?" When she nodded, he opened his arms and hugged her. She stepped out his embrace and turned to Kat, who opened her arms as well. She moved into them and wrapped her arms around her waist.

Kat rubbed her hair and said, "It's about time I got my hug." The others laughed, "It's good to have you home sweetie," Kat continued, "I've missed you so much." When Kim pulled away, Kat looked in her eyes and said, "I am not letting you leave town again, I'd miss you too much." Kim smiled and turned to Tanya.

"I know that you don't know me, but…" whatever she was going to say was cut off when Kim slowly wrapped her arms around her. She looked to the others and saw that they were smiling. She couldn't believe that she had hugged her when she had just met her. Kim moved from her embrace and took her spot in Tommy's arms. She turned to her friends and saw the love on their faces. And in that instant, she knew that Tommy was right. She would get past this because she had him and from what had just happened, she had her friends as well. They would protect her and they would help her.

_**It feels so good to be home. **_ She turned her gaze to Tommy, who leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheeks.

"So now that you came to the party," Tommy said, "I think that there's still someone to see; someone who wanted you home just as much as we did." When he said that, Kim looked at him in shock, _**who else do I have to meet?**_

"Think about it Kim," Rocky said. She turned towards him and saw the smile on his face. She realized that they were all smiling. She turned back to Tommy and saw him glance at his wrist. She followed his gaze and saw the communicator resting there. She looked up at him in surprise and looked at the others. They all nodded and walked off to a corner. She watched them go and looked at Tommy, _**are you sure?**_

"Yes I am," he smiled, "Trust me, they're very anxious to see you."

_**Really?**_

"Really," he said, "So…you up to this?" she looked back at the others, who were waiting for them, then back at him. She closed her eyes for a minute before opening them. She looked at him and smiled. She nodded her head and he said, "Ok, let's go." The two headed over to the others. When they got there, Tommy raised his communicator to his lips and contacted Zordon, "Zordon, this is Tommy. Come in."

"I read you red ranger," he answered. When Kim heard his voice, tears filled her eyes. Even though she had heard it when they were in Florida, she was a little emotional because she knew that she was about to see him again, for the first time in months.

"We have someone here to see you," Tommy said as he looked over at Kim, "Can we teleport?"

"Yes you can," Zordon said, "I will see you all soon." The others looked at each other before looking at Kim. Tommy lifted her chin and asked, "You ready for this?" She nodded and grabbed his arm. They looked around to make sure that they wouldn't be spotted before teleporting out.

A/N: again, I wanted to Rocky to be the one to figure everything out. Don't worry everyone's going to find out at the same time. At the beginning of the chapter, they're all talking about how Kim is so energetic, and then they meet her and saw how she was; I deliberately did it like that.

A/N 2: some familiar faces are going to come back to help and Michael will be popping up in Angel Grove pretty soon. Again, if it was a little rushed or confusing, I'm sorry. I put Kim and Tommy like that because I figured they always had a strong connection, and thought it could come in handy. It might've been quick at how he was at understanding her, but it is my story, I can do what I want. So anyways, read and review and tell me what you think.


	6. Seeing Zordon and the Oliver's

**A/N: hey guys, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. But no worries, it's here; though it's only like thirteen/fourteen pages long. Anyways, forgive me and I hope you enjoy it.**

**A/N 2: to all my faithful reviewers and new ones alike, thanks for reviewing, and I hope I have lost you're interest in this story. Like I said in 'secrets', with school ending for break and finals and work, didn't have much time, but that's the past.**

**Disclaimer: I own no one.**

When they touched down in the Command Center, Kim broke away from Tommy and slowly walked forward. Tears filled her eyes as she took in the place that had become like a second home to her. She realized, though, that it was a little bigger than the original Center. She turned to Tommy with a question in her eyes, _**what happened?**_

"Goldar and Rito had somehow gotten in and they blew up the original Command Center," Tommy said, "When we got our Zeo powers, the Command Center had rebuilt itself and the name was changed to the Command Chamber."

"We like it because it's bigger," Rocky said, "Though sometimes I miss the old one."

She nodded and walked back towards Tommy's arms. The moment she got there, she heard a voice that brought a smile to her face and more tears to her eyes.

"Hello, my young crane," Zordon said, "It is good to see you again." Kim whirled around when she heard his voice. She moved from in front of the others and walked over to where Zordon's tube was. She looked up at him and gave him a watery smile, _**oh Zordon, I missed you so much.**_

"I have missed you too Kimberly," he said to the shock of the others. She smiled at him.

"How did you know what she said Zordon?" Tanya asked.

"I know my crane just as good as Tommy does," Zordon said.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi," Alpha said, "Kimberly, it is so good to see you." Kim turned and the others watched as Alpha walked up to her and a smile came across her face. Kim closed the gap between them by walking forward. When she got within close distance, she went to her knees and wrapped her arms around the robot. She closed her eyes as his metallic arms wrapped around her.

"I don't get it," Tanya said.

"Get what?" Kat asked.

"When Adam went to hug her, she was scared and she hesitated," she said, "But why didn't she hesitate to hug Alpha?"

"I think it's because Alpha isn't human," Rocky said.

"You think so?" Kat asked.

"I agree with him," Tommy said. When they turned towards him, he continued, "Well think about it, Alpha is a robot and Kim knows that he doesn't have a hurtful wire, for lack of a better term, in his body. He isn't programmed to hurt people."

"Tommy's right," Billy said, "Unless you give Alpha a virus, he won't hurt anyone. So it stands to reason that Kim will be a lot more comfortable with him, than anyone other than us, of course."

"Tommy?" Kat asked. When she had his attention she continued, "What happened to Kimberly?"

Everyone turned to Tommy, except for Rocky and Billy who had walked over to Kim and Alpha.

"I can't tell you," he sighed, "And not because I don't want to, so please don't ask again. Like Rocky said, when it's time, you guys will know, but right now, respect my wishes and hers and be careful of how you act around her."

"We're not going to hurt her Tommy," Kat said, "She's our friend too."

"We just want to help," Adam said.

Tommy sighed, "I know, and you guys are helping. But as you saw, she's very skittish, and she's probably going to be that way for a while."

Kat looked at Tommy and shifted her gaze to where Kim was standing. She remembered how she reacted when they were at the youth center and what Rocky had said about Kim not talking. Her brows furrowed as she thought more about it, _**'What happened to Kimberly in Florida? Why is she so skittish around everyone, even us? She's acting like she was…' **_Her eyes widened in realization, _**'No, it couldn't be…not her…why her?'**_

"Tommy…" she started.

"Yeah Kat?" he asked.

"About Kimberly…" she trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. It was too horrible to think. _**'NO, I have to be wrong. I just have to be…but…then why is it the only thing that makes sense?'**_

"Kat?" Tommy asked, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine," she smiled to reassure him, "Let's go check on your Beautiful, huh." The smile that came over his face made the one on hers bigger. _**'I did the right thing. Tommy belongs with Kimberly. My guy is still out there; who knows maybe closer than I think.' **_she thought as her gaze drifted to Billy.

"Yeah, let's," he smiled and they made their way over to the others. Tommy walked up to Kim and when she saw him, she smiled and moved into his arms and wrapped her arm around his waist as his went around her shoulders.

"So what now?" Adam asked.

"I don't know," Billy shrugged, "It's only like…" he checked his watch, "…like 9:45 p.m."

"How about we go home and then meet up at the youth center tomorrow?" Tommy suggested.

"Aww come on," Rocky whined, "But it's still early." Kim giggled as the others rolled their eyes. When he heard that, he turned in her direction and gave her a wink. She smiled and winked back.

"Rocky, I still have to take Kim home to my parents," Tommy said, "And I think she's pretty tired." He tugged discreetly on her arm and smiled down at her. She smiled before she turned to them and let out a yawn.

"See?" Tommy said while holding back his laugh, "She's yawning already."

"What?" Rocky mocked yelled, "You-you-you totally conned her into that." Kim started laughing which sent everybody laughing, including Rocky. Even Zordon was seen with a smile.

_**It's so good to be home,**_ Kim thought.

"Alright fine," Rocky pouted, "We can go, but I am holding you to tomorrow. We'll all meet up at the youth center." The others laughed and was about to leave when Billy remembered something.

"Hey guys wait a minute," he said.

"What Billy?" Adam asked.

He turned to Zordon and said, "You said that you were going to tell us how Tommy and Kim got a flight to come up."

"Oh yeah," Tommy said, "How did we Zordon?"

"When Kimberly and the others first became rangers," Zordon said, "I noticed that they spent a lot of time here, especially Kimberly and Billy. The rangers would always bring food and games. Kimberly had made the suggestion that they should have food and other stuff of stock here since they already spent so much time here."

"I remember that," Billy said, "But we couldn't because we didn't have enough money."

"Agreed," Zordon said, "So I had Alpha create a bank account with the Angel Grove's First National under the name Eldon Zephar."

Kim tugged on Tommy's sleeve, a frown on her face, _**how did he get money to do that? Where did he get money to do that?**_

"I'll ask," he said before he turned his attention back to Zordon, "But Zordon, how is it possible for you to do that? I mean—

"Where did you get the money from?" Rocky cut him off, asking the question that he wanted to.

"As you know Rangers," Zordon said, "On my home planet of Eltar, I was the equivalent of a king, so to help out I had Alpha use some of my jewelry and money and convert it to earth money and placed it in the bank for you to use whenever the need arose."

"Awesome," Adam said.

"Zordon," Tanya said, "Exactly how much money is in the account?"

"As of now," he answered, "About $500,000. And Alpha adds a thousand each month."

Everyone, except Kimberly, widen their eyes when they heard that. They couldn't believe that Zordon had so much money already. Kim mentally smacked her forehead, _**of course; he told me about it a long time ago. I can't believe I forgot about it. **_

The others were still in shock when Kat realized that Kim wasn't, "Hey Kim, how come you don't look shocked to hear this?"

_**That's because I already knew.**_

"You knew?" Tommy asked, "When?"

She turned to him; _**it was a long time ago. I just forgot that he told me about it. **_

"Oh ok then," he answered.

"You know," Tanya said, "That is amazing as it is creepy." The others laughed. "What? I'm serious; they way you two communicate, her without words and you understanding what she wants to say; it's awe inspiring to see two people so in love that you understand each other just like that."

"You guys are making this into such a big deal," Tommy said, a blush on his face.

"It's true though," Rocky said, "You guys are so in love that it gives us lonely people overhear hope."

When he said that, they all laughed and Kim tugged on Tommy's sleeve, _**I love you.**_

"I love you too Beautiful," he said, "Ready to get out of here?"

_**Yeah, I can't wait. Are you sure it's ok?**_

"Don't worry Kim," Tommy said, "Everything's going to be ok. I promised you didn't I?"

She smiled at him before she looped her arm through his.

"Alright guys," Tommy said, "We'll see you later."

"Bye guys," they all said. Tommy gave a nod and Kim waved goodbye and then they were gone. Rocky watched the spot they were in for a few seconds, his brows furrowed as he was deep in thought. He shook himself and turned back to the others, only to find Kat's gaze on him.

"What?" he asked.

"What were you thinking of just now?" she asked.

"I was thinking about Kim and about what could've happened to her," he said softly.

"What did you come up with?" she whispered.

He shook his head, "What I came up with, well I really hope I'm wrong."

"Rocky," she said, realizing that he came to the same conclusion as her, "Do you think that…that Kim was…was hurt?"

"I think so," he said, "It's the only thing that makes sense, although I think she was more than hurt."

"How?"

"You didn't see her at the airport Kat," he said, "She almost clung to Tommy and she freaked out when I tried to hug her."

"Like she did with Adam," she said softly.

"Yeah," Rocky said, "I think there's more but until she or Tommy is ready to talk, then we have to be patient."

"I know," she said, "But it gets frustrating when you know she's hurt and you want to help but you don't know how."

"I think we are helping Kat," he said, "She was a lot tenser than this. She's more relaxed now. I think that if Tommy had waited any longer to go get her, then we probably would have lost her."

"Oh my God," she said, "You really think so?"

"I do."

'_**And to think, I tried to stop him. If I had, just how much damage would I have caused?'**_

"Kat you okay?"

"Yes," she said, "Rocky…I think she was more than hurt, and I can see it in your eyes that you think so too; but I believe that you're right. We should wait until Tommy tells us."

"Yeah, it wouldn't be good for us to start assuming things," he said. He put his arm around her shoulders, "But Kim will be ok; we'll all work to make sure of that."

"Of course," she smiled.

"What are you guys talking about?" Tanya asked as she and Billy and Adam walked up to them.

"Nothing much," Rocky said, "Just discussing what we're going to do tomorrow."

"I think we should go to the park and maybe stop by Ernie's for lunch," Adam said, "I don't think he saw Kim tonight."

"Alright," Billy said, "I'll stop by Tommy's tomorrow or I'll call him tonight and let him know."

"Sounds good," Tanya said, "SO what do you say we get out of here?"

"Alright," they others said, "Later Zordon." And with that they teleported out to their homes.

…

Tommy and Kim landed outside his parents' house. He moved forward to open the door, but felt Kim tug on his hand. He stopped and turned back to her, "What is it Kim?"

_**Just a little terrified, **_her eyes told him.

"Why though?" he asked, "Are you still worried about how my parents will react to you?"

_**Yes**_

"Don't be," he smiled at her.

_**I'm trying**_

"I know," he said, "But I'm here, and I'm telling you, everything's going to be ok, and even if it's not; I'm not going to let them gang up on you."

She smiled and shook her head; _**I'm being silly, aren't I?**_

"No," he said as he touched her cheek softly, "You're being you. So…are you ready to go in?"

She took a deep breath and nodded; _**Yes, let's go.**_

"I love you Kim," he said softly.

_**I love you too. **_He leaned down and pressed a chaste, but sweet kiss to her lips before turning back and opening the door. He stepped inside and moved forward so that Kim could come in. as her gaze took in the room that she had spent many nights in, tears came to her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. Seeing it, Tommy knew that she was thinking about the nights that they had spent in this room; whether it was just hanging out and watching TV, or making out. He closed the door and called out to his parents, "Mom, dad, are you home?"

"In the kitchen Tommy," his mom called back.

"You want to wait out here while I go get them?" he asked Kim. When she nodded, he led her over to the couch and sat her on it. "I'll be back," he said, "And don't worry so much."

She smiled at him and watched as he went to the kitchen to talk to his parents. The moment he was out of sight, Kim let out the breath she was holding, _**'Oh God, how am I going to do this? I'm so scared of how they'll react when they see me. I mean, moms aren't exactly forgiving when someone has hurt their child, and when it's their only child, that just makes it worse.' **_She got up and started pacing, _**'Ok, get a grip Kim. Tommy said that they didn't hate me and that they would understand.'**_ She sighed, _**'I really hope so.'**_

She got up and moved around the room. She looked at the pictures that were hung all over the walls and TV stand. She saw pictures of Tommy when he was a kid, pictures of karate tournaments; of course she had seen all these pictures before. She was shocked to see pictures of her and Tommy and some of her by herself. She couldn't believe that they had kept pictures of her. She was gazing at the picture of herself when they had come back from Australia when they went on the class trip, when she heard a soft voice behind her; "Kimberly…"

…

Tommy went into the kitchen and saw his parents sitting at the table talking.

"Hey mom," he said, "Hey dad."

"Hey son," his dad said. His dad then looked at his watch, "You're home early. I would've thought that you'd stay at the youth center until midnight or so."

"Well I would've, except that there was something that I had to do."

"What was that Tommy?" his mom asked.

Tommy paused as he looked at his parents. He wondered how exactly he was going to tell his parents about Kimberly. Melissa Oliver looked at her son as he became quiet. She could tell that he was thinking about something very important and she wondered at it, "Tommy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong per say," he said as he looked at her.

"Then what is it?" James asked.

"It's about Kimberly," he said.

"What about her?" Melissa asked, "Is she ok?"

"That depends…"

"Tommy, what's going on?" James asked as he looked at his son, "What do you mean 'it depends'?"

"I talked to Kimberly," Tommy said, "About the letter and everything."

"And…what did she say?" Melissa asked her son.

"It was a lie," he said to the relief of his parents. Melissa felt as if a weight had been lifted. She had always thought that there was more to Kimberly's letter than what was seen. The girl had been too in love with her son to callously let him go in such a cold hearted way. James never admitted it, but he had felt a little bit of anger towards Kimberly for the way she had chosen to end their relationship; and now hearing his son say that it was a lie, brought him just as much guilt as relief. Tommy looked at his dad and saw the guilt mixed with the relief and wondered at it.

"There's more," he said.

"What?" James asked.

"She's here."

"What?" Melissa asked.

"She came home from Florida," Tommy told his parents.

"She's here?" James said.

"Actually, she's in the front room," he said.

"I want to see her," Melissa said, as she moved to leave the kitchen.

"Mom wait," he said as he reached out to stop her, "You have to be careful of how you act towards her."

"Why do you say that Tommy?" she asked, "Did something happen to Kim?"

"Yes," he said. He paused as he thought about what to tell them. When they heard that, both James and Melissa felt a shiver of fear. Melissa worried about what had happened to Kim that would make her lie to Tommy and would make her come home when the Olympics was months away. James felt the guilt that he was feeling before magnify even greater at the thought of something happening to Kim. Tommy looked up at his parents wondering what and how much he should tell them. He looked at his mom and saw the fear and distress on her face, but was surprised when he saw, not only fear but guilt as well on his dad's face. _**'That's odd…that's the second time since I came in that I saw guilt on my dad's face.' **_

"Hey dad?"

"Yeah son?"

"Why do you look guilty?" Tommy asked.

James got a sheepish look on his face when he heard the question. He hadn't really expected his son to read the look so clearly. Melissa turned towards him and saw the guilt as well. She raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"I was a little angry at Kimberly for the letter," James confessed.

Tommy sighed as he heard that. He had kind of expected that, and wasn't angry, but he knew that if his dad had any hope of going near Kim, then he had to get rid of the anger. He turned to his mother, "Mom, what about you? Do you feel angry at Kim for the letter?"

She shook her head, "No Tommy, I never did. If anything, I was confused by it. I know that Kimberly loved you too much and for too long to just give it up like that."

"Thanks mom," he smiled at her, before turning to his dad, "Do you still feel that way?"

"No, not anymore," James said.

"Good," Tommy said, "Because if you did, then you wouldn't be able to go anywhere near Kim."

"Tommy, what exactly happened to Kimberly?" Melissa asked, "You're talking in cryptic sentences that makes no sense and makes me think the worst."

"I can't tell you mom," Tommy said, "Not yet anyways."

"Tommy…"

"Mom, please just trust me," he pleaded.

"Ok Tommy," she relented, "But I'm not letting this go."

"Neither am I," James said.

"Ok."

"Good," Melissa said, "Now come on; there's someone out there that owes me a hug." Tommy and James laughed and followed her out to the front room. The three stopped and watched as Kimberly stood in front of some pictures. As a doctor, Melissa knew the signs of when patients unconsciously protected their bodies. As she looked at Kimberly, she saw the way the girl had wrapped her arms around her midsection. As she looked at her, she got the feeling that she was still hurting from whatever had happened. She felt her heart ache and called out softly as to not startle her, "Kimberly…"

Kim whirled around when she heard her name. Her eyes widened in shock to see the two of them standing there. When she had turned around, her hands had dropped from her stomach and now dropped to her sides. She shifted her gaze from each of them until they rested on Tommy. Tommy's parents looked at Kim and James moved forward and started towards her. Kim's eyes filled with fear instantly as she took a step back. Melissa and James both frowned at the look, but James kept going. Much to his parents' surprise, Tommy stood directly between his dad and his girlfriend. Melissa looked at her son in shock as she had not seen him when he moved from standing behind her.

"Dad stop," he said; his voice soft but firm with a tinge of command. Unsure of what was happening and taken aback at the command tone to his son's voice and the fear that was still in Kim's eyes; James did as he was told. Tommy turned to Kim and gently and slowly reached out to touch her rub her arm, "Hey Beautiful, look at me." When her gaze shifted to him, he smiled and moved his hand to rub her cheek; "It's ok, I'm here." He watched as the fear left her eyes and she gradually relaxed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she smiled at him, _**I love you.**_

"I love you too," he smiled. She stepped towards him and he opened his arms as she settled against his chest. Melissa was watching the entire exchange very carefully. She was puzzled at Kim's reaction and something about it triggered bells in her head; _**'I have seen that response before; but where though?' **_she shook her head out of her thoughts and looked towards the girl that was nestled in her son's arms. She took a small step forward and reached out to touch her, "Kimberly?"

Kim looked up at her and saw the smile on her face. She paused for a second before a small smile made its way across her own face. Melissa let out a small breath and then said, "Welcome home sweetie." She opened her arms and waited for Kim to step towards her. She watched as Kim shifted her gaze to Tommy. Her son gave her a tiny nod and she saw Kim move from his arms and come towards her. When she was in front of her, Melissa wrapped her arms around her. Kim's arms came up slowly and a little hesitantly but she gave her back the hug. When she felt Melissa's arms around her, tears filled her eyes. She remembered how her own mother had reacted when she found out to the truth and to be hugged by the other woman who has been like a mother to her and who she called mom, was a little emotional; _**Please God don't let her reject me when they find out the truth.**_

Melissa pulled back from the girl. She took in the tears in her eyes, as well as the fear; but fear of what, she didn't know, "Kimberly, sweetie what's wrong?"

_**Please don't ask; don't make me tell. Please? **_Kim pulled away from her and turned to Tommy, _**I can't do this; I just can't. She'll reject me, just like my mom.**_

Ignoring his parents, Tommy focused his attention on his crying girlfriend. When he saw what was in her eyes, he cursed silently. In that instant, he absolutely hated Kimberly's parents for adding to her pain. He touched her cheek softly and looked directly into her eyes so that she could see just how much he really loved. She gasped softly, as did his parents. He smiled and said, "Kim, remember what I promised you?" he asked. When she nodded, he continued, "Well, I meant it. They're not like them Kim. They're not going to abandon you because of it. You can do it Beautiful, because you strong and courageous. Bad things happen to good people, sometimes for no reason. What defines them from being weak or strong, is what they do after. We don't have to tell them if you're not sure," he hesitated until she touched his cheek. Her eyes telling him to continue, "But maybe, just maybe they can give you comfort that…that your parents didn't."

Melissa and James looked at their son in awe. They saw the love that he had for Kim in his eyes and they heard it in his voice. Both Melissa and James knew, just from that conversation, that something bad had happened to Kimberly and they knew that the fear that they saw, somehow Tommy had gotten rid of it.

_**I'm so scared Tommy**_

"I know you're scared," he said, "But I promised you that I would never leave you and I won't. Kim, the reason I want to tell them is because I think that right now, you need a female's comfort." He paused, "No, you need a mom."

Tears filled her eyes once more when he said that. She shifted her gaze to his parents, and saw the love and concern in their eyes. It overwhelmed her, when she realized that it was directed towards her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; _**'What to do? Should they know? What if they react the same way my parents did? **_Her thoughts then drifted to Tommy, _**'But Tommy said that they wouldn't and I trust him. And the concern in their eyes makes me want to believe that just maybe they won't hate me.' **_ She released her breath and opened her eyes. She looked at the man she loved more than anything; she saw his love for her and saw in that instant that even if there was a possibility that his parents rejected her, he hadn't and he wouldn't; that he would stand by her, even if it meant being against them. In that instant, she knew she could handle telling them, just as long as he was with her. _**'Ok, Tommy. Let's tell them.'**_

A huge smile came across Tommy's face, which left his parents being puzzled as they couldn't figure out why, when all he did was look in Kim's eyes. They came out of their thoughts when both Tommy and Kim turned to them.

Before he could say anything, he turned his gaze back to Kim, "I'm proud of you Beautiful. You will get through this." She smiled and they turned back to his parents. He took a deep breath and said, "Mom, dad, I think you should sit down."

Doing as they were told, Melissa and James sat on the couches. Tommy walked forward and sat in the couch directly in front of them, pulling Kim down beside him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, while hers went around his waist. They both focused their attention back to his parents.

"Tommy what's going?" James asked.

"What is it that Kimberly has to tell us," Melissa asked, "And why is she so afraid to?"

He turned to Kim, "You ready Beautiful?" When she gave him a nod, he turned back to his parents, "I'm going to tell you why Kim wrote the letter; why she came back home, and why she's not going back."

Melissa and James shared a look before turning their attention back to the two teens, "Tell us."

Taking a deep breath, Tommy started to tell them everything.

**A/N: I hope you guys liked it. With Zordon and the whole money thing; it's probably crap, but it fits. I'm not sure if the chapter was rushed with how Kim went from being tense last chapter to almost relaxed and warmer in this (so if Rocky's part was ok; i.e. his conversation w/Kat…). At the end when Tommy tells them everything; I'm not going to go back over the details. And he doesn't tell them about him going to Florida, at least, not yet. He makes something up which I'm going to include next chapter.**

**A/N 2: I'll try to get the next chapter by the end of the week/weekend; if I can't, then it might be awhile as school is starting back on the 12****th**** and I start the road test for my license on the 15****th****. **

**A/N 3: next chapter; the others are told the truth, including Jason and co. and Rocky has an idea (I think that next to Tommy and maybe Jason, he'll probably be better at reading the situations and Kim better than anyone else; I love how his character is going). Don't worry, Michael still has another appearance to make, but I wanted everyone to know first. He might reappear more than once as I already have the end of the story and the situations in which he does appear in mind. So just hit that button, leave a review and tell me what you think. Thanks. **


	7. Reactions and Promises

**A/N: **it's here. Sorry it took me forever, but it's here now. I hope you guys enjoy it.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters, they belong to Saban or whoever owns them, I just own the plot.

_Last time:_

_He turned to Kim, "You ready Beautiful?" When she gave him a nod, he turned back to his parents, "I'm going to tell you why Kim wrote the letter; why she came back home, and why she's not going back."_

_Melissa and James shared a look before turning their attention back to the two teens. "Tell us."_

_Taking a deep breath, Tommy started telling them everything._

…

Pure silence; that's all there was to it. His parents sat there with looks of disbelief, horror and sympathy running across their features. They couldn't believe what their son had just told them, but one look at Kimberly and they realized that he was indeed telling the truth.

"You were…you were raped?" Melissa was the first to find her voice. Kim nodded, keeping her gaze downwards as she was afraid to look into their eyes; afraid to see the rejection.

"So that's why you wrote the letter?" she asked, "You felt that you deserved it?" There was the nod again.

"Why would you feel like you deserve that?" James asked. "Nobody deserves to have something like that happen to them." Kim said nothing. She kept her head bowed, but tightened her grip on Tommy's hands. She was waiting for when they would reject her, like her parents had…like her mother had. Melissa looked at Kim…really looked at her. She couldn't see her eyes, but just from her body posture she could tell that girl was terrified…of what she didn't know. She reached out her hand to touch her, but stopped when Kim flinched away from her. She watched as Kim seemed to bury herself further into the couch, before she stopped and shifted closer to Tommy. Tommy looked from his parents to his girlfriend and then he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her even closer to Kim. Melissa and James looked at each before turning back to the two. Melissa got up and moved until she was kneeling in front of Kim. She slowly reached out her hand and touched Kim's knee.

"Kim?" she called softly, "Look at me?" Instead of looking at her, Kim turned her head and placed it behind Tommy's back. Melissa looked at Tommy, then James before looking back at Kim.

"Beautiful?" Tommy called softly, "Are you ok?" he felt her shake her head before he felt the wetness of her tears on his back. "Kim, it's ok."

"Kim, you can trust me," Melissa said softly, "I won't hurt you."

(_Kim's POV)_

_**I'm so scared. I don't want to believe that they will blame me, but my own parents did. So why shouldn't they?**_

"_Kim, you can trust me," Melissa said softly, "I won't hurt you."_

_**Can I? Can I really trust that she won't leave me? She's the closest thing I have to a mom and I don't want to lose her. But….Tommy….he said they wouldn't leave me, and that if they did he would stay.**_

_(No one's POV)_

Kim slowly pulled her head from behind Tommy. She kept it bowed for a seconds before lifting it towards Melissa. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then she opened them to look directly into her eyes. When Melissa looked at Kim, she saw the fear in her eyes and wondered at it. "What are you afraid of sweetie?"

_**I'm afraid you'll reject me.**_

Though she didn't know Kim as well as Tommy, she could tell by the look in her eyes exactly what she was scared of.

"Are you worried that we'll blame you for it?" Melissa asked. It wasn't really a big deal, because as a doctor she knew that most victims blamed themselves and that sometimes they were blamed by others, but she hoped that wasn't the case here. However when she saw Kim nod, she changed her mind. "Why would you think that Kimberly?" she asked, "James is right, you don't deserve something like this happening to you…nobody does." She paused as she thought on her next question, but James asked it before she could.

"Did someone blame you for it?" he asked. Kim looked at him, before she shifted her gaze to Tommy. He looked down at her and kissed her forehead before looking at his parents.

"Her parents did."

"WHAT?!" Melissa and James yelled. Kim whimpered and shifted closer to Tommy. Seeing that, they controlled their anger and spoke in an even tone. Melissa went first, "Tommy, what do you mean they blamed her?"

"Just that mom," he replied, while his hand absently rubbed circles on Kim's back, trying to soothe her. "They blamed her for it. They basically told her that it was her fault that it happened. Her dad told her that she asked for it, and her mom was in disbelief and told her that she didn't want a daughter that had been 'tainted.'"

"Why? Why would they do that, how could they do that?" Melissa asked. Melissa was in disbelief. _'What the hell kind of parents would blame their only child….their only daughter….for something like that? Ken I could kind of understand as he never really spent time with her, but Caroline? How could she do that to Kim? The girl needed her mother and instead of being there for her, she leaves her to deal with it on her own. No wonder she was so scared when she came here. She thought that we would do the same. Oh Kim, they don't deserve you.' _ Melissa moved to sit next to Kim and turned to her, "Kim, sweetie look at me." She waited until she had her attention, which took some prompting from Tommy, before she continued. "I'm sorry that your parents reacted like that, but I'm not them…we're not them. We're not going to abandon you sweetie, especially for something that was not your fault…I'm not going to abandon you."

Kim looked at her, a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. When she saw it, Melissa felt her heart break and anger towards her parents. She slowly raised her hand to push the hair out of her face before she spoke again, "I promise, I will always be here for you."

"_We _will always be here for you," James said, "We're not going to leave you." Mel looked over at her husband, giving him a smile before she looked back at Kim. She needed a hug from Kim, to show that everything was going to be ok. When she looked in Kim's eyes, she could see that underneath the pain, was the girl that she knew, that she loved, desperately in need of a mother's touch. Remembering how Kim had reacted when they had first saw her; she opened her arms and said, "Come here sweetie." She watched as Kim looked at Tommy, almost scared or in disbelief of what was happening.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**Do they mean that? I really hope so. I really can't lose my second mom. And I don't want Tommy to choose between us.**_

'_Come here sweetie.'_

_**Is this really happening? Does she really mean that? I looked over at Tommy and I could see the love in his eyes and I can see that they did mean it. **_

_(No one's POV)_

Kim turned back to Melissa and moved into her arms. When she felt her arms close around, and felt her hand rubbing her hair and the soothing words that she was whispering, she lost it. The tears flowed from her eyes down her cheeks and unto Melissa's shirt. She clutched the older woman towards her as she let out the pain she was feeling at the loss of her mom. Tommy and his parents all had tears in their eyes as they listened to the heartrending cries of the girl that they all loved.

"It's ok," Melissa whispered, "You're going to be ok. Everything's going to be ok. We're here and we're not going anywhere." They didn't know how long they stayed like that. But gradually Kim's cries slowed until they became whimpers, before they stopped all together and she fell asleep. Feeling her body relax, Melissa knew that the girl in her arms had fallen asleep. Looking at her son, she said softly, "She's sleeping. Why don't you put her in your room?"

"Not the guest room?" Tommy asked, even though he knew that no matter the room, he wouldn't let her sleep alone.

"No," she shook her head, "She's still skittish and she needs to be close to someone, and that someone is you. She's more comfortable around you Tommy."

"Alright," he said. He moved forward and gently pried his sleeping girlfriend out of his mother's arms. As he stood up, he turned to his parents, "I'll be right back."

"OK," his dad said. As they watched their so go up the stairs, Melissa and James turned to each other. James spoke first, "Jeez Mel, how could her parents do that to her? How could they abandon her like that?"

"I don't know James, I really don't know," she stood up and started pacing. "Kim is in such a fragile state right now, and instead of being there for her, they abandon her. How could Caroline do that to her _only _daughter? I know that Ken and Kim always had problems, but I thought that knowing what happened would at least make him be there for her."

"I would've have thought so to Mel, but I guess I was wrong," he said. He watched as she sat down beside him and he wrapped his arm around her. "What is it?"

"It's just….did you see her? The fear in her eyes?" she asked quietly. "Because of that _they_ did, she thought that we were going to do the same to her. Why her James? Why Kimberly, why did this have to happen to her?"

"I don't sweetie," he said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "If I could make it so she didn't have to go through that, I would."

"So would I," Tommy said, walking in to catch his dad's words.

"How is she?" Melissa asked.

"She's still sleeping," he ran a hand through his hair, "But I left my door open just in case."

"I'm afraid to ask, but just how bad is she?" his dad asked.

Tommy let out a breath, "You saw her dad. She's still very skittish, although she was a lot worse earlier." At their questioning looks, he explained, "We stopped by the youth center and she freaked out."

"I can imagine," his mom said. "What else?"

"She was really bad off mom," he said, "I mean, no one even knew what happened to her. Not her coach or her roommates. She was so terrified that she hasn't spoken since it happened."

"How long ago was that?" his dad asked.

"Almost a week before she sent the letter," he replied.

"Oh my God," Melissa said softly as she raised her hand to her mouth.

"And she hasn't spoken since?" James asked

"No," he replied as tears filled his eyes, "Mom, I was so scared when I saw her. Her eyes looked so dull, she wasn't smiling and she lost weight. I could barely recognize her. How could they not notice her? How could they not see something was wrong with her?" tears of her own in her eyes, Melissa quickly pulled her son into a hug.

"It's ok baby," she said softly. "She's here now. She came home and she's here."

"So what do we do?" James asked as we watched them.

"We help her," Melissa said. She looked at Tommy, listening as his tears lessened and his cries stopped. She continued when she had his attention, "We be there for her, we let her know that she's not alone and that she has people that she can count on."

"What can we look out for Mel," James asked, "In terms of her actions?"

"She'll still be very skittish, we have to watch how we act around her," she said, "We can't be angry around her otherwise that will set her off. You saw how she reacted when James was going towards her, we'll have to be careful not to approach her like that."

"I hope I don't run into her parents or the guy that did this to her," James said.

"Me either," Tommy and Melissa said.

"So we're doing this?" James asked, when they nodded, he smiled.

"She will get through this," Melissa said.

"And we'll be there every step of the way," Tommy said.

**A/N: ** how did you guys like it? I know I said that I would include Jason and the others, but I wanted to focus on Tommy's parents and their reactions to what he said. Next chapter will definitely have the others, including Aisha. Anyways, as always read and review and tell me what you think.


	8. Telling the Others

**A/N: **well here it is the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, but the plot. Wish I owned them though….the things I could do

* * *

The next day, the others, minus Rocky, all sat around the youth center hoping that they would see Tommy and Kim. The night before had been restless for all of them, but more so for Rocky, Billy and Kat.

"Do you think that we'll see them today?" Kat asked. She was really worried about her friend. Last night she couldn't sleep properly as her mind kept coming up with the worst scenarios possibly. But even then, her first thought came back to her and she knew without a doubt that it was the truth; Kim was raped. She didn't know how she knew that, though she did wonder if it might be because she had held the crane power, Kim's crane power. But still, even then, all the evidence seemed to fit. She was scared and upset that Kim had to go through that, but vowed that she would be there to help her.

"I don't know Kat," Adam said as he rested his head on the table. His voice a bit muffled as he continued, "But I hope so."

"Where's Rocky?" Tanya asked as she looked around the center. "Usually he's here by now, stuffing his face with food."

"I don't know," Billy answered as he too looked around. He also had trouble sleeping last night as he thought on Kim's reactions. He desperately wanted to know what had happened to his little sister, and hoped that what he was thinking wasn't the case. But Billy wasn't a genius for nothing. Even as his head tried to deny it, his heart knew truth; someone had hurt her, hurt her so bad that she was scared of being around and being touched by people. As he was turning back to the others, he saw Rocky walking through the door. "There he is."

"Hey guys," Rocky said as he walked up to them. They looked at him and could see the tiredness in his eyes.

"Hey," They answered. "Why do you look so tired?" Tanya asked.

"Couldn't sleep," he replied. And he really couldn't. From the moment Kim and Tommy had left the Command Center, his mind kept flashing back on Kim and the way she acted from the moment he saw her. When he got home, he had gone straight to his computer and looked up her symptoms. What he found made his heart break.

_**Flashback**_

_Rocky was glad his parents were out on a date, being that he had teleported directly into the living room. With a heavy sigh, he trudged into the kitchen to grab something to eat. As he sat at the table, he recalled the way Kim had acted._

'_I have never seen Kim so scared or Tommy that protective.' Biting into his sandwich, he thought more on Kim's actions. 'What the hell happened to Kim down in Florida that made her react like that? Did somebody hurt her?' remembering the look in her eyes when they were at the youth center, he quickly finished his sandwich and went to his room. Turning on his laptop, he got comfortable on his bed and waited for it to finish set up. When it was done, he went on Google and typed in Kim's 'symptoms'. What he got was a variety of results. As he was scrolling down the list, one in particular caught his attention; __**"**_**How to Differentiate Attacks and their Symptoms." **_As he read through the article, he felt his heart stop as he read the section on rape: _after the attack, the victim becomes skittish, refusing anyone to touch them; has flashbacks, which is when certain things causes them to remember the attack; some victims become so traumatized that they never speak again; depression; suicide; self-blame; some victims isolate themselves... _Rocky fell back against his headboard in shock and disbelief. The article went on to list more, but he stopped paying attention. 'Kim was raped….she was raped….someone raped my little sister. Oh God….Kim, why did this happen to you?' Rocky felt tears fill his eyes. He couldn't believe that someone could hurt Kim like that. He sat there, tears rolling down his cheeks as he thought about Kim and what she went through. A while later, his exhaustion caught up with him so he turned the computer off and slipped under the covers. Wiping the remaining tears from his face, he vowed to do everything in his power to help Kim overcome what happened. 'I'll always be there Kim…..I promise I will help you through this.' With that final thought, he let sleep claim him._

_**End Flashback**_

"I'm just…I'm really worried about Kim," he said.

"So are we," Kat replied. "My mind kept going over everything that happened from the moment I saw her, and…"

"And what you're getting, you're head is hoping that it's not that," Rocky continued.

"But you're your heart already knows," Billy finished.

"How did you know?" Kat asked softly. Billy and Rocky exchanged looks and simultaneously let out a deep breath. Before either one could answer, Tanya spoke, "What are you guys talking about?"

"We're talking about Kim and why she acted the way she did," Kat said softly.

"So I wasn't the only one thinking on that?" Adam said.

Tanya turned to him, "You too?" she looked around at the others. "All of you?" At their nods, she felt guilt well up inside her. Seeing it, Adam grabbed her hand and said softly, "Don't feel guilty about it Tanya. The only reason you didn't is because you don't know Kimberly."

"Adam's right T," Rocky said as he looked at her. "We've known Kim a lot longer than you have and you just met her. Don't worry about it, as long as you plan to be her friend now and to help her then…."

"I will," she replied softly but firmly, "As long as she will let me."

"She will," Billy replied.

"So what do we do now?" Kat asked.

"Wait for them to show up," Rocky said, "If they don't, then we go over and see how they're doing."

"Sounds like a plan," Adam said.

_(Somewhere in Africa)_

A young, dark-skinned woman walked through the fields. Though the breeze was blowing and the sun was warm, she couldn't appreciate the good day. Ever since that dream she had, just over a week ago, her thoughts were filled with confusion and worry. _'What does it mean? And why can't I stop thinking about it? Why do I feel so connected to that bird? And who is Kimberly?' _So lost in her thoughts, she was surprised when she ended up in front of her grandmother's hut. Opening the flap, she called out softly, "Grandmama?"

"Come in my child," the old woman replied. The old woman was sitting on her bed, re-arranging the feathers on a dress. She looked up as she saw her granddaughter step inside. The woman smiled as she sat down next to her. "What are you doing grandmama?"

"Just finishing up the feathers on Nyobe's dress," she replied. The young girl became silent again as her thoughts drifted once more to her dream. Sensing that something was bothering her, the old woman turned to her granddaughter. "Aisha child, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," Aisha replied.

"I can sense that something's troubling you," she said, "What is it?"

"It's this dream I had almost two weeks ago," she answered.

"What was the dream about?"

Aisha took a breath before shifting her body so that she was facing her grandmother. "In my dream, I was walking through a field. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. As I was walking, I heard a bird calling out and when I looked up, I saw that it was a pink crane—

"A pink crane?" her grandmother asked. When she saw her nod, she said, "Interesting. Go on."

"Well, the bird flew around for a while and for some reason, I felt like I knew it," she paused. "I felt like I had seen it somewhere before. I wasn't afraid by it or anything, I welcomed its presence. I continued walking and the next thing I know, I hear it cry out and when I looked up it was falling to the ground. Grandmama I felt terrified…absolute fear. When I got to it, it was bleeding. She looked up at me, and it was almost as if she was she knew who I was and she was asking me to help. When I touched her, I felt a shock go through me and I woke up."

"Oh dear"

"But the thing that's bothering me is the name," Aisha said.

"Name?"

"Yes, when I touched the bird, the name 'Kimberly' came to me," she paused and considered if she should continued. Knowing her grandmother would want to hear everything, she did. "It's just…in my head, I have no idea what that name means as I have never met anyone with that name…but in my heart; in my heart, I recognized that name and the bird." She turned to her grandmother. "What do you think the dream meant grandmother?"

The older woman paused as she thought on what her granddaughter just told her. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "I think that the crane that you saw and the name that came to you are the same. It means that there's someone in your life that you are very close to and that person is hurt and needs your help."

"But, how can that be?" Aisha questioned. "I've lived here my whole life."

Turning sad eyes to her granddaughter, the old woman replied, "No you haven't my dear. You were not born here."

"I wasn't?" Aisha asked. For some reason, she wasn't shocked by the answer. It was like a part of her knew that, just like her heart knows who the bird is.

"Don't worry my child," her grandmother said as she patted her on her knee. "I think that that dream is a connection to the life you lived before you came here. When it is time, you will remember and you will know what to do."

"Thanks grandmama," Aisha replied.

"Anytime my dear," her grandmother moved to the door. When she got there, she turned to look at her. Her gaze softened as she considered her. _'The days are over….you will return to your world…though it is sooner than I expected, it is inevitable and I won't fight it. You don't belong here anymore than I belong there.' _"Aisha?"

"Yes?"

"Remember no matter what, I love you and I always will."

"Grandmother, you're talking like I'm going somewhere," she said softly.

"Though you do not it yet, you are," she said. "Your world is calling and you will have to go. Your dream shows that you are needed and where you are needed, is where you came from." Seeing the confused look on her face, she smiled. "Don't worry. It may sound confusing, but I promise you, it will all be made clear. Get some rest, I have a feeling that something will happen in the next few hours."

"Alright grandmama," Aisha replied as she laid down on the bed. Her eyes closed and her dreams were once again filled with the pink crane, this time however, other images came about. As she settled deeper into her sleep, she felt the presence of a young woman; a woman she knew instinctively belonged to the name and the crane.

_(Peace Conference; Switzerland)_

Jason sat in the classroom with the other students. Trini and Zack were sitting on each side of him, chatting happily with some of the other kids. He couldn't concentrate on what the conversations around him were about as he kept thinking about Tommy and the conversation he had with him two nights ago. He hadn't told Trini or Zack anything, and he didn't want to until he heard from Tommy. But it was getting harder not to say anything. And on top of that, he couldn't shake the gut feeling that something was wrong. When Tommy had told him about the letter, he couldn't believe it. He knew how much Kim loved Tommy and wouldn't believe that she would break up with Tommy, especially like that. _'I know my little sister. She would never hurt Tommy like that. If she had met someone else, she would have called him or at least ask Zordon to teleport her to Angel Grove. The letter had to be a lie. But…why would Kim do something like that? Why would she write a letter like that to Tommy? She had to know that it would hurt him. After everything that Tommy has been through, why would Kim put him through more pain?' _he frowned. _'Kim's not like that though. She wouldn't do something as long as she knew that it would hurt someone she cared about. So why hurt Tommy? The only thing I can think of is that she did it to protect him. But from what though? What caused Kim to write a letter breaking up with Tommy? The only reason she would protect him was if someone threatened to hurt him….but Tommy can handle himself, especially against humans. So if it wasn't Tommy that she was protecting, that means she was protecting herself. But why would she need to protect herself from Tommy of all people?' _he sighed and ran his hand through his head. _'Come on, think Jason. Why would Kim need to protect herself from Tommy? It's not like he would ever hurt her, and she knows that. She only protects herself from others, if she's been hurt herself. I mean the same thing happened when she was a kid and her parents used to fight. So if the same thing applies here….that means.…' _"Oh no," he said out loud. Hearing him, Trini turned from her conversation with a fellow student. "Jason? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Jase?" Zack asked as he too turned from his own conversation. Jason wasn't paying attention to either one of them. He stood and made his way out of the room. Zack and Trini looked at each other before getting up and following him. As they caught up to him, Trini tried again. "Jason, what happened back there?"

"Nothing," he replied, "I just need to talk with Tommy."

"About what?" Zack asked as the three made their way to their room.

"He called me two nights ago," Jason said. "He told me that Kim broke up with him in a letter."

"What?" Trini was shocked, as well as Zack. "Kim would never do that."

"I know," Jason said as they reached their dorm. "That's what I told him. But I haven't heard from him since then and ever since that call, I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong."

Trini and Zack exchanged a look and followed him into the room. Zack closed the door behind him and then went to sit on his bed. Trini moved to sit on Jason's bed and the two watched as he picked up the phone to dial Tommy's number. After a few rings, the other line picked up. _"Hello?"_

"Hi, Mrs. Oliver, this is Jason," he said, "Is Tommy home?"

"_Oh hi Jason," Mrs. Oliver replied, "Yes he is, let me check to see if he's still sleeping."_

"Alright."

"_So Jason, I take you know about Kimberly?"_

"Yeah, Tommy called and told me about the letter," he replied.

"_I'm glad," Melissa replied. "It's a shame what happened to Kim and she's going to need all of our help."_

Jason felt fear dance through his body. With a hard swallow, he asked, "Mrs. Oliver, what are you talking about? What happened to Kim?" at his words, Trini and Zack sat up straighter and focused more on the conversation.

"_Oh dear, you don't know do you?"_

"Know what?"

"_I'm sorry Jason, I can't tell you," Melissa said, "It's not my secret to tell. Here's Tommy, he should be the one to tell you." _There was a pause as he heard her call out to her son. _"Tommy? Tommy sweetie, wake up."_

"_Mom?" he groggily replied. "What is it?"_

"_Jason's on the phone," Melissa replied. She looked down at Kim and rubbed her hair. "How did she sleep?"_

"_She tossed and turned a bit," he replied, "But that was it. I think it was only because she told you guys and was in a bit of shock of how it turned out."_

"_Ok, well here's the phone," she said, "I'll go make something for you both to eat."_

"_Thanks mom." He watched as she left, before picking up the phone, "Hello?"_

"What the hell happened to Kimberly?" Jason asked. His heart was pounding as he had listened to the conversation between Tommy and his mom.

"_Jase…"_

"Tommy, something happened to my little sister and I want to know what it is," Jason cut him off.

"_You're not going to like it," Tommy said._

"Enough with the cryptic talk Tommy and tell me what I want to know," Jason replied, impatience coloring his tone.

_Tommy let out a loud sigh, "You're not the only one that wants answers." _

"What?"

"_Look, I know you want answers, but I can't give them over the phone."_

"Tommy…."

"_It's bad Jason," he said, "You're not going to like it."_

"Tommy," Jason said; his voice and his heart breaking. "Tell me, please."

"_I can't…..Look, can you get accommodations or something? I'm going to talk to Zordon, see if he will allow you guys to teleport here."_

"I'll try," Jason said. He paused as he thought on what Tommy said. "How bad is it Tommy?"

"_Bad," Tommy replied softly. "Even now, I still can't believe it. And I'm trying hard not to think on it too much, because I know she needs my help….our help….to get through it. Just get ready ok. You still have your communicator with you?"_

"Yeah, we all do."

"_Good," he said. "I'll contact you after I talk to Zordon, so get ready."_

"Alright," he said. "I'll let Tri and Zack know to get ready as well."

"_Alright bro," Tommy said, "I'll talk to you later." He hung up the phone soon after._

"Yeah, later," Jason said as he hung up as well. He turned to Trini and Zack.

"Jase, what did Tommy say?" Trini asked. "Did something happen to Kimberly?"

"From what I could get," he sighed, "Yes, something did happen, but what I don't know." With that he pulled his suitcase out of his closet and started to throw clothes into it. He looked back at them, "Tommy said to pack. He's going to talk to Zordon and see if he can get us to teleport back home." He pulled out his other suitcase and started putting the rest of his stuff in as well.

"But if we're just going to teleport, why are you packing all your stuff?" Zack asked as he pulled out his suitcase.

"I'm packing all my stuff because I'm quitting," Jason said to the shock of the other two. They both paused in their packing and looked at him.

"Jason—

"No Trini," he said, "You can't talk me out of it. You didn't hear Melissa's voice or Tommy's as they talked about Kim. Something happened to Kim, something bad. And there's no way I'll be able to stay here, knowing what happened and not being there for her." He stopped packing and looked at them. "We already completed more than a year, but if you guys want to come back after, you can. But I'm not. I'm going home, my sister needs me."

Trini and Zack looked at each other, before looking back at him. Trini moved from her suitcase to stand in front of him. She held his hands in her face and kissed him. When she pulled back, she smiled. "You forget, she's our sister too. I love you, and where you go, I go. And if Kim needs us, then like you said, there's no way I'll stay here while she needs us."

"So," Zack said, "Who's going to talk to the head?" they laughed.

"We all will," Jason said.

"Just as soon as we finish packing," Trini continued. The three smiled at each other and turned back to finish up their packing. Within minutes, their suitcases were packed and the trio made their way to the head of the conference's office.

_(Angel Grove: the Oliver's)_

Tommy sighed as he hung up with Jason. He knew that Jason would be pissed that he hadn't call him back, but in all honesty, he had forgot. Concentrating solely on helping Kim, he hadn't remembered to call Jason back. Running his hand over his face, he turned to look at the sleeping girl. Her brow was a little wet from the sweating she had done when she had her nightmare. She was on her side facing him, her lips smoothed out as well as her forehead, which let him know that she was sleeping peacefully. He ran his finger down her cheek, and she sighed and moved closer to him. He smiled and bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips. She moaned. Pulling back, he whispered, "Hey Beautiful, it's time to wake up." A sense of déjà vu washed over him as her eyelids fluttered before they slowly opened. "Hi."

_**Hi. **_Her eyes answered. She smiled at him as she raised her hand to his cheek. He leaned into her touch. "Are you hungry? Mom just went to make something for us to eat."

Her hand dropped from his cheek as did her eyes. "Kim, look at me." He waited until she looked at him before he continued. "They're still here and they still care. They're not angry with you; the only people they are angry with are your parents and Michael, but they're not angry with you. I promise."

_**I'm sorry, I'm being stupid.**_

"No you're not," he replied. "You've been through something very traumatic; it's only natural that you're terrified of what others think. Add the fact that your parents abandoned you when you needed them the most….of course you're going to be scared."

_**Thanks. And you're right. I'm really glad you came after me Tommy.**_

"So am I Beautiful," he replied. He looked at her for a second before shifting his gaze away, silently wondering whether or not he should tell her about Jason. Sensing something was troubling him; Kim reached up and touched his arm. _**What is Tommy? What's wrong?**_

"It's Jason," he said. "He called earlier….he wants to know what happened to you Kim. And so do the others."

_**Oh. Well did you tell him?**_

"No, I figured it's your secret. If you want to tell them, then that's your choice. But just so you know it won't be long before the others figure it out. Rocky and Kat are already starting to." He paused as he looked at her. He saw that she was deep in thought.

_(Kim's POV)_

_**I didn't even think about Jason and the others. I know him, he's going to want to come home, and when he takes one look at me, he's going to know. Am I ready to tell them? Can I really do this?**__ 'You've been alone too long my human; you've kept this pain inside for far too long. It's time to let our falcon and our friends help us.'_

_**Shalimar?**_

_Yes._

_**What are you doing here? I thought I lost you.**_

_You've never lost me Kimberly. I've always been here. I wasn't here that night because I had to find our spirit sister. _

_**Aisha.**_

_Yes. I felt that you would need all of them to help you. It's time to tell them Kim. You no longer have to bear this burden alone. They have already proved that they are here for you. _

_**I don't know if I can.**_

_Yes you can. You're stronger than you think Kimberly….we are. Our falcon is willing to help and we know that both he and Tommy will always be there, so now it is time to let your friends in. you can do it Kim. Let them in._

_**Ok. I will.**_

_(No one's POV)_

"Kim?" Tommy called.

_**Ok Tommy, let's tell them.**_

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, I'll only do this if you're really sure."

_**Yes, I'm sure. I love you and I know that you're not going to leave me and our friends won't either. **_

"That's right." He said. "And I love you too. Now come on, let's go get something to eat before we meet the others."

_**Ok, though I need to use the bathroom first.**_

"Oh yeah," he smiled sheepishly. "Me too." The two got out of bed and made their way to the bathroom. After taking care of business, they made their way down stairs to eat. After talking with his parents, long enough to reassure Kim that they wouldn't leave her like her own parents did, Tommy and Kim went upstairs to take a shower, while his parents left for work. He took a shower first and then waited on the bed while she took hers. He had just pulled his wife-beater on when the bedroom door opened and she walked in wearing jeans and his green and white checkered shirt. He smiled. "I was wondering where that went." She giggled. "I like seeing you in it."

_**Thanks.**_

"Your welcome," he smiled. He stood up in front of and grabbed her hand. "Are you ready?" when she nodded, he wrapped his arm around her waist and teleported them to the CC. When the light cleared, they found themselves standing in front of Zordon.

"Tommy, Kimberly is everything alright?"

"Yes Zordon," Tommy replied, "Could you contact everyone and teleport them here? Jason and the others as well."

"May I ask why?" Zordon asked.

"It's time they knew," Tommy said.

"Alright red ranger," Zordon said.

"I told Jason I would contact him when I was ready," Tommy said.

"Go ahead, while I contact the other rangers."

Raising his communicator to his lips, Tommy contacted his best friend. "Jason, can you read me?"

"_I read you loud and clear Tommy," Jason replied._

"Are you ready?"

"_Yep, Trini and Zack are with me as well."_

"Ok," Looking up to see Zordon's nod, he said, "Prepare for teleportation."

"_We're alone," Trini said, "Go ahead."_

"Teleporting," Zordon said. Kim looked up to see all her friends land in the CC. Her gaze shifted over all of them before moving back to Zordon.

"What's going on?" Billy asked. He looked around and saw Trini and the others. "Oh my God, Trini, Zack, Jason…what are you guys doing here?" hearing the names, Rocky and the others moved towards their three friends. Tanya hung back a bit, as she didn't know them. Adam, seeing that grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the group. "Guys this is Tanya, she replaced Aisha when we got the ZEO crystals."

"Nice to meet you," Jason said. He looked around until he saw Kim standing in front of the console. "Kimberly." He pulled away from the group, as did Zack and Trini and made his way over to her. To their shock, Kim backed away from them and stepped behind Tommy. Confused, the three of them stopped a few feet from Tommy.

"What's going on?" Trini asked, "Why is Kim afraid of us?"

"It's not you," Rocky said, "She did the same to us. My guess is, Tommy's ready to tell us what happened in Florida."

"Yeah," he replied, "That's why I had Zordon teleport you guys here."

"Hey wait," Billy said, "What about Aisha?" the others all looked confused and looked at Zordon for an explanation. Before he could answer, a voice behind them did. "I'm right here."

_(Africa)_

Aisha woke from her sleep to the sound of beeping. Though it had only been no more than an hour, she felt like she had slept for days. She frowned as she heard the beep again. Getting up from the bed, she moved about the room until she found the source of the noise. Pulling away some clothes, she found the bracelet. _'What is this? Where did it come from?' _Taking it in her hand, a rush of memories came back to her. She saw herself and two boys standing in a park with a boy in white, another in blue and a brunette in pink holding a baby in her arms. The memory shifted again, and this time she saw the same people walking through a jungle; she saw them playing on beach; the brunette lying in the hospital; she and the brunette shopping. _'What's going on? Where did these memories come from? Are they from my life?' _brushing her thoughts away, she turned the bracelet over in her hand. Her fingers pushed on the button, and she answered. "Hello?"

"_Aisha, it is good to hear your voice."_

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"_All shall be revealed in due time my bear," Zordon said. "You are needed here Aisha. Our crane needs your help."_

'_Crane? My dream! That girl in my dream, the one in my memories, Kimberly she needs my help.' _"How can I do that?"

"_Are in a position to be teleported?"_

"Yes, I am," Aisha replied, though she was confused about the teleportation thing. The next thing she knew, she was standing in a room full of electronics devices. She looked around and saw a case filled with different colored suits. As she looked her them, her entire memory came rushing back.

"Oh my God," she said softly. She remembered when she became a ranger, when they met Kat, when Kim left and when she passed the power on to Tanya. She looked up and saw the others standing in front of Tommy, who was standing in front of Kimberly. She looked at Kim and she remembered her dream. Before she could think more on it, she heard Billy, "Hey wait, where's Aisha?"

"I'm right here," she said, loud enough for them to hear her. They whipped around in surprise.

"Aisha!" Rocky exclaimed as he moved from the group towards her. She smiled and walked to meet him. When she got within distance, he pulled her into a hug.

"I've missed you 'Sha," he voice muffled in her hair.

"I've missed you too," she tightened her arms around him. After a few seconds, she pulled away. She saw the others smiling but saw a knowing look on Kim's face. She blushed but kept her head up. She knew that if it was anyone that would figure out how she felt about Rocky, then it would be Kim. She moved around to the group and hugged all of them.

"I've missed you 'Sha," Trini said when she got her hug.

"Me too, girl," she replied. "How was the Peace Conference?"

"Fun," Trini replied.

"I'd imagine," she laughed and moved from her towards Tommy and Kimberly. Now the others expected Kim to react the same way she did as before, so they were all shocked when Kim moved from behind to Tommy to meet Aisha. As Aisha wrapped Kim in a hug, she heard the bear roaring and the crane calling out.

"_My sister," Shalimar said._

"_We came as soon as we could Shal," Lexa, Aisha's bear replied._

"_I know," Shalimar replied._ _The crane called out again, and circled the bear before landing on her shoulder. She rubbed her head into her neck. _

"It is so good to see you Kim," Aisha said as she hugged her. "I've missed you so much."

_**I've missed you too 'Sha. You have no idea how much**_

"I really don't get it," Tanya said as she watched them.

"Me either," Kat said. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the tearful reunion between the two.

"Get what?" Zack asked.

"The fact that Kim initiated the hug," Billy said. "She didn't do that for either of us. In fact, she reacted to us, the same way she reacted to Jason."

Thinking on what Billy said, the others turned their attention back to the two girls.

"I'm so sorry Kim," Aisha said. "I wish I could change it so that you didn't get hurt."

"What?" Adam asked as he looked at the others. Even Tommy seemed to be in shock. "How did she know that?"

"Let's ask," Zack said.

"No," Tommy stopped them. "Let's wait until they finish." Kim and Aisha hugged, until Aisha pulled back and held Kim's face in her hands.

"I'm sorry," Aisha said. "I know it doesn't mean much, but I am sorry. But, we'll help get through it, ok?" Kim nodded as she hugged her again. This time Kim pulled away and moved into Tommy's arms. She buried her face in his chest, and as he wrapped his arms around her, tears fell from her eyes. Hearing her sniffles, Aisha moved forward and rubbed her back.

"Are you ok Beautiful?" Tommy asked. She pulled back and looked into his eyes.

_**I'm ok, I promise. I just didn't realize how much I've missed her….or how much Shal has missed Lexa.**_

"She came back?" Tommy asked in surprise. When Kim nodded, he continued. "But how? I thought we lost them. Did….did he come back as well?"

_**We didn't lose them…at least, I didn't. And yes, Brennan's back as well. I can feel him. He just flew to Shal and Lexa.**_

"Ok," Tommy said.

"What are you two talking about?" Zack asked. "No wait, how the hell are you talking with her?" The others laughed. Jason didn't. he hadn't forgot the conversation he had with Tommy earlier.

"Tommy was asking Kim about Brennan and Shalimar," Aisha said. "Weren't you?"

"Yeah."

"What?!" The former ninjetti rangers looked on in shock, the others looked on in confusion.

"Who's Brennan and Shalimar?" Trini asked.

"Tommy and Kim's falcon and crane," Adam answered.

"Look guys, as interesting as it would be to hear about them," Jason interrupted, "Tommy still has to tell us why he called us here."

"He's right," Trini said. "So Tommy, tell us, why did you call us here? What happened in Florida?" when she heard the question, Kim looked up at them, before she turned her towards Zordon and stepped even closer to Tommy. Placing a kiss on her head, Tommy turned his attention to the others. "You guys should make yourselves comfortable." Aisha stayed close to Kim, who didn't seem to mind. When they were comfortable, he pulled Kim towards him and wrapped an arm around her waist. Aisha stood on the other side of Kim and held her hand.

"What's going on Tommy?" Adam asked.

"It's about Kim and the letter," he said.

"We know it was a lie Tommy," Kat said, "You told us that already."

"I never told you why she lied," he said softly.

"What happened Tommy?" Jason asked just as softly.

"Kim never fell in love with another guy, but she did meet someone," he said. He looked at them, then at Kim before he continued. "His name is Michael. He was a fellow gymnast, and he was in love with Kim." He paused as he took a deep breath. He wasn't sure how to continue.

"Tommy, what did he do?" Jason asked, fear coursing through his veins.

"He….he….." unable to continue, Tommy stepped away from Kim and started pacing. Kim looked at him with tear filled eyes. She moved from Aisha and gently touched his arm. He stopped pacing and looked at her.

_**I'm sorry.**_

"It's not your fault Kim," he sighed, "I just don't know how to tell them."

"Tell us what Tommy?" Jason asked. "What did Michael do to Kim?"

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly before closing his eyes. He opened them and looked directly at the others. He wrapped an arm around Kim and said, "He raped her…Michael raped her."

"WHAT?!" the group shouted. Jason stood frozen. _'NO! That can't be true!' _He took one look at Kim and knew it was the truth. Rocky closed his eyes as his fists clenched tight in anger and pain.

"Oh my God," Tanya said softly.

"Poor Kimberly," Kat said, accent coming out even thicker. "I really didn't want to be right."

"You knew?" Trini asked.

"No, but I suspected it," she replied. Trini nodded and turned to Kim and Tommy. She was sobbing into his chest. Taking a shallow breath, she walked over to them. "Kim? Sweetie, can you look at me please?" Kim shook her head and buried herself even closer to Tommy. Tears ran down Trini's cheek as she watched her best friend cry.

"I promise Kim, I'm not mad at you," Trini pleaded, "Just please look at me."

"Kim, honey please," Kat said as she and Tanya walked over. "It's ok, we're here for you. Please." She slowly lifted her head from Tommy's chest and looked over at them. She saw the tears in their eyes and looked up at Tommy. When he smiled at her and nodded, she moved from his arms and into Trini's, where the tears fell even more. The other three stepped over and made it into five-way hug. It was broken apart by two thuds followed by two voices.

"DAMNIT!" both Rocky and Jason yelled. When everyone looked over, they saw the two standing near the wall, cradling their hands. Looking closer, you could see the indentations when they punched it. Rocky slid to the floor and drew his knees up. He wrapped his arms around them before laying his head on his forearms. Jason paced a few minutes, before he threw another punch at the wall. This time however, Tommy grabbed his fists before he could connect.

"Damnit Tommy let me go!" He yelled.

"No," he said as he held onto him, "I won't let you do this."

"Why not?"

"Because it won't make things better," he replied. Jason huffed angrily. Rocky at that time, stood up and started pacing.

"So what do we do?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Zack said as he stood next to Jason.

"I mean with Michael," Rocky said as he stopped in front of him. "We can't let him get away with this."

"He won't," Tommy said, "They're going to arrest him."

"GOING TO? GOING TO?" rocky roared, which drew the attention of the girls. "He raped our little sister, 'going to' jail does not make it ok."

"I know that, ok," Tommy said.

"So then why don't you want us to do something?" Jason asked angrily.

"Don't you think I want to?" Tommy asked. "Do you know how hard it was to just walk away from him? I had him in my arms Jase, and all I wanted to do was break his neck."

"Then why didn't you?" Rocky asked, his anger making his eyes look even darker.

"Because of her," he said softly, ticking his head in Kim's direction. "She asked me not to. And I couldn't. She was scared for me, scared that I would be in trouble, even though I was defending her and she didn't want that. And I remembered that I was a ranger, and I took an oath to defend the people on this planet and even though I wanted, and I really wanted, I couldn't do it. The only thing I could do was warn him."

"That sucks man," Rocky said.

"I told him the next time I see him, he would regret it," Tommy said. He let out a sigh. "Look, I know exactly how guys feel, trust me, I do. But I couldn't do anything. All I cared about at the time was getting Kim away from him."

"All I can say is that I better not see him," Jason said. "I'm not a ranger, so I wouldn't hesitate to kick his ass."

"Same goes for me," Rocky said.

"Me too," Zack, Billy and Adam chorused.

"Thanks guys, but that's not all," Tommy said.

"What do you mean?" Aisha asked as she and the rest of the girls walked over to them. Kim was between her and Trini but when she got close, she moved to go into Tommy's arms. He complied and wrapped them around her. He pulled her close and continued. "Her parents, they abandoned her."

"What?"

"Yeah, her dad blamed her for it, said it was her fault because she asked for it," he swallowed hard. "And her mom, she couldn't accept it. That's why Kim was so scared to come home; that's why she wrote the letter. She thought that if her own parents could do that to her, then why should we be different."

"Oh God, Kim," Kat said.

"What the hell is wrong with people?" Adam asked. "Their own daughter? How could they be so cruel?"

"I don't know," Jason shook his head. "I can't believe I actually thought that Ken would change, though it doesn't surprise me much. But Caroline, I expected different. I can't believe that she would do that to Kim."

"She called her tainted," Tommy told them. Cursing softly, Billy turned to Kim. "Sis, look at me." When she did he continued. "We're not your parents, ok? We're not going to abandon you. Ken and Caroline are two idiots who don't know just how lucky they are to have you. We're your family Kim, and unlike the two humans that merely donated the DNA and genetic signatures, we're always going to be here for you."

"He's right," Zack said. "We've been a family since the day we all became friends. Our family got even bigger, when we met the others and the eleven will always be one. Nothing can or will come between us. I promise." Seeing the gratitude in her eyes, they smiled. Jason was still pissed off, as was Rocky, but the two realized that there was nothing that they could do. They vowed however, that if they did happen to see him again, then nothing would stop them from taking revenge against him. Kim was still sniffling, so Jason took a calming breath before stepping over to her. "Hey ptera," he said softly, "Come here." Moving from her boyfriend's arms to her big brother's, Kim felt relief wash over her. Jason has always been there for her, ever since they were little and she felt good inside to know that her big brother didn't blame her.

"It's ok, I'm sorry about your parents," he said, "But the others are right. _We're _your family now. You can count on us to be there for you. And I'm sure that Tommy's parents are willing to be there as well."

"We love you Kim," Rocky said, "You're our little sister and we promise, we will never leave you and we will always be there when you need us."

"Promise," Trini said.

"Promise," Aisha said, followed by the others. Hearing, Kim giggled, which turned into a chuckle and then she started laughing. The others followed suit, breaking the heavy tension that had settled over them. She looked up at Tommy and saw the love in his eyes and let it wash over her.

_**I love you.**_

'_I love you too,'_ he mouthed back. She smiled. The moment was broken by the alarms.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi," Alpha,

"Zordon, what's going on?" Adam asked as the group ran over to the screen.

"It seems that the Machine Empire has sent cogs to the park," He answered. "Rangers…"

"Got it Zordon," Tanya. They took their formation.

"Ready guys?" Tommy asked.

"Ready," they answered.

"IT'S MORPHIN TIME," Tommy shouted.

"ZEO RANGER ONE: PINK," Kat shouted.

"ZEO RANGER TWO: YELLOW," Tanya

"ZEO RANGER THREE: BLUE," Rocky shouted.

"ZEO RANGER FOUR: GREEN," Adam shouted.

"ZEO RANGER FIVE: RED," Tommy shouted. In seconds, the teens were gone and the rangers stood in their place.

"Go get 'em guys," Zack said.

"See you later Beautiful," Tommy cocked his head towards Kim just before they teleported out. Kim smiled and nodded.

"What are we chopped liver?" Jason asked, which prompted the group to laugh. Zordon looked down at his children, yes his children, with a smile. He was proud of how they had turned out and the way that they had come together to help one of their own. His gaze drifted to Kimberly, and was happy to see her relaxed. He was glad that Tommy had made the decision to go after. And he knew that now his crane could heal.

**

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****A/N: **hope the reactions of Jason and the others were good for you guys. hope the conversation with Kim and her crane was ok. i chose Brennan and Shalimar because i loved the show Mutant X and i loved the characters of Brennan and Shalimar. same thing with the name of Aisha's bear, Lexa. About Aisha seeing the crane, I just thought it would be good seeing that she had no memory of them. Plus, I thought that with the ninjetti powers, with them being spirit sisters and everything, the crane would go to her. anyways, read and review and tell me what you think.


	9. Surprise, Surprise

**A/N: **here is the next chapter. The first half is pretty much Jason's point of view, and the second half is something I know reviewers had a lot of questions about.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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It was now May; two months since Kim came home; two months since that day in the Command Chamber, and a lot had happened. The school year only had a few more weeks to go and everyone was enjoying the time, or rather the countdown to summer. Jason looked around the youth center with a smile on his face. The others were shocked when Jason, Trini and Zack had announced that they had quit the Peace Conference, but understood their reasoning behind it. His gaze drifted over his friends; he had to laugh when he saw Rocky, who had a sub-like sandwich in his hands and still had a mini burger, a plate of fries and a shake in front of him. Next was Billy, Trini and Kat; the trio had their heads bent together whispering about something. _'Probably has to do with the Command Chamber or the powers.' _He thought. As he thought that, his gaze drifted down to his wrist where the morpher for the gold ranger powers lay. He smiled as he remembered the day he got the powers.

_**Flashback**_

_It's been three weeks since Jason and the others had moved back. When Tommy had told them about Kimberly, their first reaction was revenge, but then they realized, as rangers they couldn't. So, resolving to move past it, they hadn't acted on it. Today, the group sat in the park enjoying the breeze. Rocky and Adam were playing Frisbee and the girls surrounded Kim, who was lying in Tommy's arms. Jason and Billy were relaxing on the bench behind Tommy and the others. The group was enjoying the day, when they heard their communicators go off. Billy, with the help of Trini and Kat, had reconfigured the communicators on the others, allowing them to teleport, though Kim rarely used hers as Tommy preferred, though she never complained either, to hold on to her. Quickly glancing around, the gang huddled together as Tommy answered. "We read you Zordon."_

"_Rangers, come to the Chamber immediately," Zordon said, his tone urgent._

"_Is something wrong Zordon?" Kat asked._

"_Everything will be explained as soon as you get here," Zordon replied._

"_Alright, we'll be right there, Tommy out."_

"_Does he have to be so cryptic?" Rocky whined. The group shared a smile before checking once more to make sure the area was cleared; when they saw that it was, they teleported out in a rush of colors. Landing in the Command Chamber, the group was shocked to see a man in gold lying on the medical cot._

"_Oh my God," Trini said softly._

"_What happened?" Tanya asked._

_Kim tugged on Tommy's arm. __**Who is he?**_

"_I don't know," he said as he looked at her. Turning back to Zordon, he asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Zordon, who is he?"_

"_And what happened to him?" Zack asked._

"_Rangers, this is King Trey of Triforia," Zordon said. "As he you can see, he was attacked on his home planet."_

"_Is he dying?" Kat asked, as the group moved closer. Billy and Trini had moved to help Alpha while the group stood and watched._

"_I'm afraid he is," Zordon said. The others looked at each other in shock. _

"_Isn't there anything we can do Zordon?" Tanya asked._

"_I'm afraid I have no idea Tanya," Zordon replied. "Trey collapsed before he could give me any more information other than the attack. Alpha's scans were what told me just how bad of a state he is in." Kim stood next to Tommy as she looked over at the man in the gold covered armor. Like the others, she was just as curious as to why he was like that. They moved until they were standing next to the medical bed with enough room for Billy, Alpha and Trini to work. Kimberly had barely extended her hand to touch him when she felt her wrist caught in a vice-like grip. Looking up, she gazed into the eyes of the head plate. Trey, who was disoriented and mentally caught in the battle that almost cost him his life, tightened his grip on Kim's hand and started speaking menacingly in his native tongue. The others were shocked at the movement and jumped back from the table. Tommy stood still as he heard the crane cry out in fear, mere seconds later, he heard the well missed and familiar call of his falcon as it answered its mate (though Kim had already confirmed that the animal was indeed back, this was the first time he felt him). Tommy looked up and saw that his girlfriend's wrist was trapped in Trey's hand and the stark fear in her eye. He felt rage and anger build up in him. As he let it build, he was unaware that his eyes flashed green and didn't realize that he had even moved until he was suddenly standing in front of Kim. In a voice as cold as ice, he spoke to Trey. "Get your hands off my girlfriend." Without another thought, he grabbed Trey's wrist and flung him off of Kim and across the room. Everyone stood still, stunned at what just happened. Tommy paid them no attention as he turned to Kim, hoping to get the fear out of her eyes. "Kim….Kim look at me." When she did, he opened his arms in a silent gesture. In the blink of an eye, Kim was in his arms, her face buried in his chest and soft whimpers escaping her. He rubbed her back gently in an attempt to calm her, as well as himself, down. "It's ok….you're safe." Shaking out of their shock, the girls moved to Kim, while Rocky and Jason stood in front of them as Billy, Zack and Adam moved to help Trey off the floor. Looking at Tommy, the others wondered what had just happened. But before anyone could ask, Trey started coming around. He panicked as he saw the group looking and him, but calmed when he heard Zordon's voice. "Do not be alarmed Trey, these are my rangers."_

_Trey looked up at him. "Zordon?" he looked around the Command Chamber. "Where am I?"_

"_You are on Earth," Zordon replied. "And this is the Command Chamber for the power rangers."_

"_Power rangers?" Trey asked, a little disoriented. He stumbled a bit but was righted immediately by Billy and Zack. The others started towards them as they saw that he wasn't going to be a threat. Tommy, who kept his arms around Kim, stayed at the back of the group unwilling to get any closer. _

"_Can you tell us what happened?" Tanya asked._

"_I was attacked on my home world," Trey replied as he sat down on the medical cot that Billy directed him to. "I don't even remember who attacked us, but I know that the planet is almost destroyed. My powers are splitting up and Zordon was the only person I could think of that could help me."_

"_Oh my," Trini said._

"_What do you mean your powers are splitting up?" Kat asked._

"_As King of Triforia, I am the last in line and I am in command of a staff," he replied. "This staff gives me powers and allows me to control them. As with past kings, the powers are passed on in my family line but they can be used by another if that person is deemed worthy and strong enough to handle the powers. When the time for this, the king passes on the staff. However, because of the battle that I was in, I'm being split into three and I need to pass on my powers or I will die."_

_Everyone was silent as his words sunk in. They couldn't imagine going through something like that._

"_Wait," Zack spoke up. "So you're here to pass on your powers?"_

"_Yes." Came the reply. "But it is not as easy as you think." He continued with some trouble. "Like all powers, not anyone can use them; it is the same with these. If the wrong person gets them, it could hurt them, as their body will not be able to sustain it. However, if the right person received the powers, you would become the gold ranger. You would get your own megazord and the powers would be slightly different from those of a normal ranger." He let out a long, pain-filled sigh. "But like I said, if the person is not meant for the powers, it could hurt them." Despite what they heard, the others couldn't help but get excited. One of them would be a ranger again. The others moved closer, hoping to get more out of Trey. They were all talking softly and quickly, wondering which one of them would get the powers. Tommy looked down at Kim and kissed her on her forehead. "You ok there Beautiful?"_

_She looked up at him. __**I'm fine now. I was really scared earlier.**_

"_It's ok," he said as he pulled her even closer. "I promised you I wouldn't let anyone hurt you and I meant it."_

_**I know. I love you.**_

"_I love you too," he said as he kissed her on her lips. When he pulled back, he looked back at their friends. "So, who do you think it's going to be?"_

_**Jason.**_

"_Really?" he asked. "Why him?"_

_She shrugged. __**"I don't know; I just have this feeling that the powers are for him and no one else.**_

_Before he could answer, he heard Trey groan again. He turned back to the others and heard Adam asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"_

"_My torso hurts a lot," he replied. "More so my head and my shoulders, but I don't recall getting hit there very often." The others exchanged looks and glanced back at Tommy, who just shrugged. He wasn't going to apologize for protecting Kim. Seeing the entire thing, Trey asked, "What is it?"_

"_It appears that when you first came to, you were still caught up in your battle," Zordon said. _

"_What did I do?" Trey asked._

"_You lashed out and grabbed the person closest to you," Zordon answered. "This happened to be Kimberly." Turning, Trey saw the young woman in pink leaning against a guy in red. He moved to go to her, but was surprised when she stepped back and the guy pulled her closer. He stopped when he saw the look of fear in her eyes and shivered a bit when he saw the one in Tommy's eyes, a look which seemed to dare him to come closer. He could tell that they were together and he understood that he was just protecting her, but what he couldn't get was why he was hurting and what the guy had to do with it._

_Seeing the look in his eyes and interpreting it correctly, Jason spoke. "You were really out of it when you regained consciousness and Kim had her hand out towards you when you grabbed her. She tried to pull away but you wouldn't let go. Tommy, her boyfriend, kind of threw you off of her. Though I don't know how he managed to do that."_

"_Love makes you do anything," Zordon chuckled. Kim, a little embarrassed by the attention, turned and buried her face in Tommy's chest. Rocky was the one that brought their attention back. "So how do we figure out who gets the powers?" _

_Everyone stopped and looked at him. Before anyone could answer, Trey looked at Kim and Tommy. "I am sorry for scaring you and for hurting you." Kim looked up and nodded at him. Tommy still looked wary, but nodded after a few seconds. Turning back to Rocky, Trey answered his question. "I really don't want either of you to get hurt."_

"_But how do we know who the powers belong to?" Aisha asked. The others looked at each other as they tried to figure out just who would risk the powers. Billy looked around and made a decision. He moved forward to grab the staff, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. Looking back, he saw that it was Kim. "What is it Kim?"_

_She pulled him away, and looked from the staff to him and back again. Her gaze shifted to Tommy._

_**I don't think it's for him. Something really tells me that this is for Jason.**_

"_Tommy?" Billy questioned. "What did she say?" Trey looked at them in confusion as he didn't even hear her talk._

"_She said that she doesn't think it belongs to you," he answered. "She said that she has a really strong feeling that it belongs to Jason." Everyone looked at Kim then at Billy. _

"_Kimmie?" Zack called. "Why do you think that?" Kim looked at him, before looking at everybody else. She shrugged and looked up at Tommy. __**I don't know how I know, but I just do; the powers are meant for Jason.**_

"_She's not sure, but she feels that they are for Jason," Tommy said. "Look, why don't we let Jason try to receive them…if he can't then we try the next person." The others agreed and let Jason step forward. He stood directly in front of Trey and they watched as he started chanting in his native tongue. Before they knew it, three Treys were standing in the room, all surrounding Jason. The chanting continued and grew in strength until a bright, gold light enveloped the whole room. When it cleared, Jason was standing with the staff in his hand. He looked down in awe as he felt the power running through him. He looked back at Trey and asked, "Now what?"_

"_To access the powers, just say Gold Ranger Power," Trey said. "The staff will do the rest."_

"_Alright," he nodded. Taking a stance, he yelled, "GOLD RANGER POWER!" within seconds, Jason stood in front of the group covered in the gold uniform. _

"_Whoa!" Rocky breathed. The others moved closer to Jason. Trini looked over at her boyfriend as she touched his arm. "How do you feel?" _

"_Powerful," he chuckled. He looked out at his friends and smiled, though they couldn't see it. He was excited about being a ranger again; especially fighting side by side with Tommy. He looked up and caught Tommy's gaze and could see that he was just as excited as he was. _

"_Dude," Zack said as he bounced on his feet, excitement running through him. "The suit is amazing."_

"_Come on Jase," Tanya said. "Power down, we want to talk to you."_

"_Ok," he said. "Power down." He looked back at his friends then looked down at his wrist where the morpher for the gold ranger powers lay. "Man," he smiled. He looked up at the group. "This is freaking exciting."_

"_I'd imagine it is," Billy said. A part of him was a little peeved that he didn't get to try for the powers as he wanted to be a ranger again, but he was determined not to let anyone know. He felt eyes on him and looked up directly into Kim's. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before she smiled. He let out a sigh and smiled back. She would be the only one to pick on his thoughts. No matter how close he and Trini were Kim would always be able to read him better. Shaking off his thoughts, he nodded towards her and turned back to the group. He watched as Tommy walked up to Jason. The two looked at each other before Tommy broke out in a wide smile. He bumped fists with Jason. "Welcome back bro."_

"_It's good to be back," Jason replied._

_End flashback_

He still couldn't believe that he was a ranger again. He looked back at them and saw that they were still working. He realized though, that occasionally their eyes would drift over in the corner where Tommy and Kim were. Aisha and Tanya were chatting about the latest fashion, with Adam sitting next to Tanya. _'Another ranger couple,' _He thought, as he saw Adam grabbed Tanya's free hand that was resting on the table. He smiled when he remembered that Kim had been the first one, next to Kat, to see that the two had really liked each other. So between the two pinks, and with the help of the two former yellows, the four girls had set it up so that they would admit how they felt about each other. Finally, his gaze drifted on the last members of the team; the original power couple themselves, Kim and Tommy; two people who had been through so much but still managed to overcome it. He didn't know of two others that belonged together more so than Kim and Tommy; his best friend and his little sister. He watched them pause in their sparring and watched Tommy sign something to her. She laughed and signed back. That was another thing that had happened. Rocky had been the one to come up with idea. Jason smiled. He remembered that Rocky used to whine that only Tommy could understand Kim and had missed talking to her. So they had tried to figure something out. Rocky was actually on his way to the youth center when he spotted a sign for learning how to sign language. They had decided to try it and now they were all pretty much fluent in it. His gaze rested on Kim. She had changed so much in the past two months. While she wasn't as social as she was before, she had been more opened to others. People at school had been a little wary of being around her when she wouldn't speak, especially the guys who had been given fair warning that if they did anything to upset her, they would pay. In the two months, she only had one flashback and that was it. It had scared the hell out of him, especially Tommy, but they had managed to get her under control. After that, Tommy had never let Kim out of his sight. He had even managed to get her comfortable enough to spar. Jason chuckled as he remembered that day. _'Man, Mrs. Oliver was so scared.' _Smiling, he shook out of his thoughts and looked back at them and was amazed at how relaxed she looked. Smiling, he got up and walked over to them. Kim saw him coming and smiled. She turned from Tommy and signed, "Hey big brother, what's up?"

"Hey sis," Jason said. "Hey Tommy; it's nothing, just thought I'd come over and see how you guys were doing."

"We're good," Tommy said. "Kim's getting better at fighting back, pretty soon she'll be able to take me." he laughed at the look on her face but lost it when she thumped him on the chest. "Hey!"

She looked up at him. **That's what you get for trying to make fun of me. **

"Sorry Beautiful," he replied as he ducked down to kiss her.

"Hey guys," Aisha called as she and the others made their way over. "What's going on?"

"Nothing much," Tommy replied. "Just having my girlfriend beat me up."

"Isn't that a normal thing?" Tanya asked. The others laughed at the look on Tommy's face. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Ernie.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Ernie," they chorused. "What's up?" Zack asked.

"I'm having a little party here day after tomorrow and I was wondering if you guys would help me set up for it," he told them.

The gang looked at each other before looking back at him. "Sure, no problem Ernie," Adam said.

"Alright," he replied. "Well, how about you guys come by early tomorrow morning so that we can get started?"

"Sure," they shrugged. "No problem."

"Thanks guys," he said. He looked at his watch and turned. "Well I've got to go. The food has to start being prepared."

"See ya Ernie," they said.

"This should be fun," Trini said. She glanced up at the clock and saw that it was a little after three. "Oh no, I have to go."

"What's wrong?" Rocky asked.

"Nothing," she replied as she moved to collect her stuff. "I just promised my mom I'd help her with some things today."

"Ok then," Aisha said. "We'll see you." They waved bye as she walked off. Billy was just sitting down when he remembered that he had to meet his dad. "I've got to go too guys, I completely forgot that I was to meet my father."

"You forgot huh?" Jason teased. "You're starting to sound like Tommy."

"Hey!" Tommy shouted.

Billy laughed. "I'll see you guys later." He jogged off. "Hey Trini wait up!"

"Anyone else has to go?" Jason joked.

"No…." Zack started, but stopped when he saw Angela walk in. "On second thought, I do have to go. I have a date with Angela. Later guys."

"Bye Zack."

"Anyone else?" he asked, half expecting them to answer.

"Well, Tanya and I were going to do a little shopping," Aisha said.

"And I have a ballet class to teach," Kat said.

"Aww man," Jason whined. "The one day that we don't have any attacks and you guys all have something to do."

"That's the joys of being a teenager Jase," Aisha laughed as she and Tanya stood up.

"See you guys," Tanya called as they left.

Jason turned to the rest. "And what about you guys?"

"Nothing," Rocky and Adam said.

"We have to help mom move some stuff around," Tommy said.

"What kind of stuff?" Adam asked.

"She found a bunch of old photos, clothes, trophies and furniture in the attic," he replied. "She wants to clean it up so that it looked more presentable."

"Think she'll need any help?" Jason asked, not wanting to sit around.

"She probably will," he said. "Why don't you guys come, well if Rocky and Adam want to?"

"We have nothing else to do," Rocky said. "Might as well help her."

"Alright," Tommy said as he stood up. He turned to Kim and Kat. "Hey Beautiful, give us like ten or so minutes to change." Kim nodded her head and went back to talking with Kat. True to their word, ten minutes later the guys came back. They said goodbye to Kat and left the youth center. As they were leaving, Jason realized that he had forgotten his bag and went back for it. He saw it lying on the table and grabbed it. As he was going out, he ran into someone else.

"Sorry, my bad," he said as he reached out a hand to steady the guy.

"It's ok," the guy waved his words away. "No harm done, just an honest mistake. I wasn't really paying attention anyways." He looked up and Jason was surprised at the bright blue color of his eyes. "Hey, you were with the group that just left."

"Yeah, they're my friends," he replied.

"You guys looked really close," the guy commented.

"Yeah," Jason shifted a bit. Something about this guy was making him uneasy. "We are."

"The girl," the guy said. "That was Kimberly wasn't?"

"Yes," Jason said. His stance shifting as the feeling of unease rose again.

"Wasn't she supposed to be in Florida training for the Olympics?"

"She was," Jason replied. He opened his mouth to say more, but something was really creeping him out about the guy. "Listen, I'm sorry but I have to go."

"It's no problem," the guy said. And he watched as Jason jogged off. He saw him catch up with the group. The guy stood there and watched them laugh as they continued walking. His gaze wasn't on Jason anymore, but rather on the small girl in the middle of the four boys. He was so focused on Kim that he never realized Jason was looking back at him with a frown. Shaking his head, he turned and walked off. He took one look back and said to himself, "Soon Kimberly, very soon."

…

It was the day of the party, and everyone was excited. The boys had gone to the youth center this morning to help early finish up and to get in some sparring practices. They did it to make up for yesterday when they had to ditch because of a monster attack. Ernie, as usual, didn't mind as they had said they would be back to help. The girls had decided to spend the morning with Kim, before heading over to help the guys finish up. Kim was sitting on the bed, a smile on her face as she listened to her friends talk. She was so happy that she had come home, and couldn't figure out why she had doubted them in the first place. They had understood and had been there for her, especially Tommy's parents. To Kim, Melissa and James were a blessing because they gave her the parental support that she had desperately needed but didn't have. She had wanted to thank them so many times, but couldn't. Melissa had told her that it was ok if she hadn't started speaking yet, as she had been seriously traumatized and had gotten so used to not talking, that it would be awhile before she did. But what they didn't know was that she was trying to re-teach herself on talking. She didn't tell anyone because she knew that they would tell her to take her time. But she really felt that it was something she needed to do. She came out of her thoughts just in time to hear Trini's suggestion about meeting the guys. The girls agreed, and they said goodbye to Melissa as they left the house. The walk was filled with laughter and smiles. Occasionally, one of them would reach out and hug her or grab her hand, but they would go right back with their laughing. Kim smiled as she walked with her friends. Days like today made her very happy and she felt very lucky to know that she had such good friends. As the girls were walking, they didn't notice the car that was driving down the opposite side of the road. They never saw the window roll down and a woman in her late thirties peek out to watch them, her gaze focusing on Kim and a sad smile on her face. Before they knew it, they were right in front of the youth center. Opening the door, the girls made their way inside. They called out to Ernie, avoided Bulk and Skull, and looked around for the guys. Spotting them in the corner, they walked over.

"Hey guys," Tanya called out. The guys turned around and smiled at them.

"Hello ladies," Billy said. "It was under my impression that you would not be stopping by until a later time."

"We were," Kat said. "But we changed our minds and decided to come now instead."

"We figured that we could help you guys," Aisha said. "This will make the work finish faster. And the sooner you're done…"

"The more time we have to hang out before tomorrow," Trini finished.

"That's fine by me," Zack said as he bounced on his heels. Kim moved from the girls and went to stand next to Tommy, who was talking to Jason and Rocky. She tugged on his arm so that he would turn to look at her.

"Hey Beautiful," he smiled down at her. Kim ducked her head. With a smile playing on her lips, she spoke,

"Hey Handsome."

**

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**

A/N:

hope you liked the end of it.

So….a guy that's watching Kim and a woman in a car…..guesses on who they are. You know what that means….confrontations are coming soon. So, Kim is talking again (finally! Lol). I bet most of you are happy about that. Not sure how long after the letter Tommy was kidnapped or Jason got the Trey's powers, so…… I hope I did well on Jason getting the powers.

**A/N 2: **next chapter will surround king for a day and part of the first confrontation. No clue yet as to who it's going to be. Read and review.


	10. Party, Missing and a Death?

**A/N: **okay, the long awaited chapter is here. 23 pages...hope you guys are happy. :). Thanks to everyone that reviewed and placed this story on story alert. I hope you guys like it.

**Disclaimer: **of course I own nothing…duh! If I did, my story would have been an episode (lol)

**Setting: **timeline might be off, but they're going on summer break; and it's based on the 'King for a Day' episode.

**A/N 2: **remember...this is fanfiction, and if something doesn't go exactly as it did, it's also probably because i never saw any ZEO episodes. so things will be different.

_**Kim's thoughts**_

**Dragon talking**

_Flashback; speaking over the communicators and the phone_

_

* * *

__Last time on HBC:_

"_Hey Beautiful," he smiled down at her. Kim ducked her head. With a smile playing on her lips, she spoke,_

"_Hey Handsome."_

_(Now—Part 1; Prelude)_

Tommy's mouth fell open in shock, as did Jason and Rocky. Seeing the look on their faces, Kim started laughing. Hearing it, the others came closer. Seeing Kim laughing and Tommy, Jason and Rocky with their mouths open, the rest of the group looked at each other in confusion.

"What's going on?" Kat asked.

"Why do you guys look so shock?" Tanya asked. "And why is Kim laughing?"

Getting her laughter under control, Kim turned to the others. "Hi guys." When their mouths fell open in shock, she started laughing again. Ernie, who was on his way back into the kitchen, heard Kim laughing. He looked over at her and saw the others standing in shock around her. Curious, he made his way over to them.

"Guys, what's going on?" he asked when he reached them.

Kim turned to him and smiled. "Hey Ernie."

Ernie's eyes opened wide in shock. A smile made its way across his face as he looked at Kim. He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "Kimberly….you can talk." When she pulled back, he smiled at her. "It's so good to hear your voice again."

"Thanks Ernie," she said. "I know, it's been awhile but it's good to be talking again." Looking at her friends, she smiled. "But I think my talking has broken my friends." He laughed. "I think you did."

Tommy was the first one to pull out of his shock. "Beautiful….since when can you talk?"

"Since just now," Kim smiled. "Your mom was talking to me and she told me that I didn't have to try right away….but I wanted to."

"Kim…" Tommy started. "I thought mom said not to push yourself and that when you're ready, you're ready?"

"I know," Kim said as she tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "But…this was something I needed to do Tommy. I had to do this for me." She looked back at her friends. "Aren't you guys going to say anything?" They all looked at each other for a second. Their gazes swung back to Kim before going back to each other. They nodded and the next instant, the group of friends all rushed at her. Before Kim knew it, she was being smothered in a group hug, and Tommy and Ernie were looking on and laughing.

"Guys…guys…let me go," she laughed. "I can't breathe under all of you." They held for another minute before stepping back from her. She smoothed a hand through her hair and looked up at her friends. "What did you do that for?"

"We wanted to," Zack said as the group shrugged as a whole.

"Kim, you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice," Kat said. "I miss hearing you _say _something funny or sarcastic."

"Same here," Trini and Aisha chorused.

"Yeah well," Kim said. "As good as it is for you guys to hear me…it's even better for me to actually talk…to hear myself talk."

"Well I for one am really glad," Tommy said. Looking at his girlfriend, he continued. "I love the fact that we are so in tune with each other that I could understand you without having you speak, but it was annoying having everyone stare at you in amazement every time it happened." He looked at her, hoping she wouldn't be mad at him for saying that.

"I'm not going to be mad Tommy," Kim smiled when she saw the look in his eyes. "Even for me, it _was_ very annoying. I do love the connection between us, but I hated that everyone at school or around town seemed like they wanted to exploit it or something, just because they couldn't understand. It was better when only the gang and mom and dad knew because they understood."

"So I take it the Oliver's don't know that you can talk?" Tanya asked.

"No," Kim shook her head. "Like I said, mom told me not to push myself and dad's response was that it would happen when it happen."

"Does it feel weird?" Kat asked. Seeing the confused look on Kim's face, she clarified. "Calling Tommy's parents' 'mom' and 'dad'….does it feel weird?"

Kim didn't even pause in her answer. "No it doesn't actually. From the start, I hit it off with them. And when Tommy and I were more secured in our relationship, when it was more settled, they told me that they didn't mind me calling them that…in fact, they kind of insisted on it. Plus with everything that happened, they've been more of my parents than my own."

"You must have made quite an impression," Tanya said.

"That she did," Tommy chipped, and smiled at the faint blush covering Kim's face.

"You're biased," Jason teased.

Kim turned to glare at him. "Are you saying that I can't make a good enough impression Jason Lee?"

Eyes wide, Jason gulped as he hurried to answer her. "N-n-no…that's not what I'm saying at all. You make a very good first impression Kim. You're just lovable like that." He fervently hoped that she would calm down, because the last thing he wanted was Kim pissed off at him.

"Now you're being biased," Kim teased. When he heard the teasing note in her voice, he let out the breath he'd been holding. A few seconds later, his brows drew together.

"I definitely missed that," Trini whispered to Aisha.

"Kim putting the fear of God in the guys?" she asked. When she saw Trini nod, she smiled. "Me too." The two turned back to their friends when they heard Jason speak.

"Hang on," he started. "You were pulling my leg just now, weren't you?"

"Yep," Kim laughed. "It was fun to do it and even funnier to see the look on your face." The others laughed at the interaction.

"You're mean Kim," Jason pouted.

"You still love me," she replied with a smile.

"It's nice to see you guys all laughing together again," Ernie smiled. Looking at his watch, he whistled. "It is nice to hear your voice Kim, but I've got to go and finish up the preparations."

"Alright Ernie," Aisha said. "We'll finish up out here for you."

"Thanks again guys," he said.

"No problem," Zack said.

"Besides," Billy continued, "We spend so much time here, there was no way that we wouldn't help out."

"Billy's right Ernie," Trini said. "We practically grew up here. It's our second home."

"So you don't have to thank us for helping," Kim finished. He smiled and waved at them as he left.

"Alright guys," Kat said. "Let's finish up here so we can go home and get ready for the party." With nods all around, the gang went back to finishing up. In no time at all, the youth center was transformed for the party. Looking around, everyone had smiles on their faces as they saw the completion. Ernie came out from the back to see the youth center complete.

"Wow guys, this looks great."

"Thanks Ernie," they chorused.

"Well I suppose you guys should go and get ready," he said. "So I'll see you guys later tonight."

"Of course," Trini said. "See you tonight Ernie." They called as they moved to grab their stuff. After waving goodbye, the group made its way out the doors. Since only Tommy had brought his jeep, they all decided to walk home together and Tommy would get it at the end of the night. One by one, they each stopped off at their houses until it was only Kim and Tommy left. As they walked to his house, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Looking down at her, he smiled.

"I really am glad to hear your voice again Beautiful."

"So am I Handsome," she smiled. "I missed actually talking to you and I know you missed it just as much."

"I did, but I was happy because I had you" he replied. They were quiet for a few seconds when he broke it. "How do you think mom and dad is going to react when they hear you speaking?"

"I have no idea," she laughed. "But if it is anything like the way you guys did, then I can't wait." He laughed with her and they continued walking. Within minutes, they came upon the house. He smiled at her as he opened the front door. "Well, time to find out." She smiled at him as they walked in.

"Mom, dad?" he called out. They walked into the front room the same time Melissa and James came out of the kitchen.

"Hi guys," Melissa said. "Are you finished already with the decorations?"

Instead of Tommy answering, Kim did. "Yes we are, and it was a lot of fun." And just like their friends, Tommy's parents stood there with their mouths hanging open. Kim couldn't help it, she collapsed on the couch laughing and clutching her stomach.

"Mom, dad, you ok?" Tommy asked.

"She can talk?" James asked, finally coming out of his shock. "Since when?"

"Since today," Kim answered. She looked at Melissa. "Mom, are you ok?"

Tears in her eyes, Melissa made her way over to Kim. When she was in front of her, Kim stood up and was pulled into a hug. "Oh sweetie, I've so missed talking with you."

"I missed it too mom," Kim replied as she hugged her back. Melissa pulled back from the hug. "I missed hearing you call me that as well. But I thought I told you not to overdo it?"

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Kim said, "I know, but I needed to do this for me. It's the only way I'm ever going to heal from what happened."

"I understand baby," Melissa smiled as she pulled her into another hug. By that time, James had made his way over to them. When Melissa released Kim, he pulled her into a hug as well.

"Now I can go back to hearing you yell at Tommy," he said.

"Hey!" Tommy said; a mock glare on his face. "Why does everyone have to do that? I am not afraid of Kim."

Raising an eyebrow, Kim looked at him. "Aren't you?" They laughed at the look on his face. They passed the time talking with each other and before they knew it, it was time to get ready to go to the party. Half an hour later, both Kim and Tommy came back downstairs dressed and ready to go. Walking into the kitchen, Kim looked at Melissa.

"Are you guys coming to the party too?"

"No," she replied. "James is taking me out on a date."

"Go dad," Kim smiled. "Well I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow morning."

"Yes you will," Melissa answered. They said goodbye and left. As they opened the door, they stopped to hear James yell, "DON'T DO ANYTHING WE WOULDN'T DO! BEHAVE YOURSELVES!"

"SAME TO YOU AS WELL DAD!" Kim yelled back laughing.

"YEAH, WE DON'T WANT TO COME BACK AND FIND ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE!" Tommy yelled. He and Kim laughed even harder when they heard Melissa laugh and him splutter. Still smiling, they made their way to the youth center. When they got there, they met up with the rest of their friends and they all were amazed to see the youth center in its completed form.

"You know," Tanya started. "I know we helped fix this, but it's still amazing to look at." They all agreed.

"Come on," Trini said as she pulled on Jason's arm. "Let's go look around." With that, they moved further into the room. They mingled with everyone, friends from school, some of the kids that hung out at the gym...everyone. The gang felt more relaxed than they had in long time. They had a battle yesterday and they didn't have any at all today. Zordon had told them that it seemed as if Gasket was 'licking' his wounds or planning for something big, and that he believed that he might be quiet for the next few days to implement whatever plan he had. He had told them to be on the alert but to also enjoy the small time off, which they had every intention of doing. They let go and decided to forget about everything and just have a good time. They had no idea that their newfound peace would be threatened and not by the Machine Empire.

_(Miami Police Department)_

Sergeant Maria Daniels looked up from her desk as her partner appeared. A smile was already forming on her face, but she lost it quickly at the look on his face. She stood up quickly and walked to meet him.

"What is it Leo?" she asked.

"We need to talk," he responded as he ran his hand through his hair.

"About?" She asked. She never liked it whenever someone said those words to her; they were universally synonymous with bad news. Leo looked around a bit and then grabbed her arm, leading her to one of the empty offices.

"In here," he said. "Let's talk in here." She allowed him to pull her into the room and turned around when he closed the door.

"What's going on Leo?" Maria asked.

"Do you remember the girl a few months back?" Leo asked. "You know...the one that came in with her boyfriend to report a rape?"

"Yeah…uh…Kimberly I think her name was," Maria replied. "If I remember right, she made a complaint against this guy that worked as an assistant coach at her gym, a Michael Carpenter who actually turned out to be Alexander Davis, the guy who raped a girl up in Palm Springs. We picked him up after she filed her complaint and he was sitting in jail for his crime here and was going to be transported up to the PSPD for the crime there."

"He was actually supposed to be transferred four days ago," Leo said. "Only…."

"Only what Leo?" Maria asked. The bad feeling she got earlier was now stronger.

"He never made it up there," Leo said. "He slipped their custody."

"WHAT?!" she yelled. Noticing she attracted attention, she lowered her voice. "How did he slip their custody?"

"They don't know, but they think he might still be here in town," Leo said. "But I don't think so."

Looking at her partner, she saw his answer. "You think he's going to go after Kimberly, don't you?"

"Honestly? Yes I do," he replied. "It might be farfetched considering she left Florida to go back to California, but I think that's where he's going to go….if he's not there yet."

"You think so, but you're not sure?"

"No, I'm not," he said. "What do we do?"

"We find him," she answered.

"What about AGPD? Should we contact them and let them know?" Leo asked.

"No, not yet," Maria said. "We don't want to freak them out or send them on a wild goose chase when we're not even sure he actually left Florida let alone Miami. We try to find him first and then we contact them."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"Not really," she replied. "But it's the best I've got." Leo sighed as he nodded in her direction. He opened the door and motioned for her to go before him.

As she passed, he said to her, "I hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the ass."

She shook her head as he walked behind her. "So do I Leo."

_(Angel Grove)_

Looking around, you could tell that Ernie's party was a blast…as they always are. It seemed like everyone from town had shown up. The group of rangers and ex-rangers was scattered throughout the crowd, but they ended up in the same area after a while. Kim was on the dance floor with Tommy, with Trini and Jason next to them. Aisha and Rocky were over by the food section along with Adam, Tanya, Kat and Billy. And Zack was talking with his date Angela. All in all, they were having fun. Kim laughed as Tommy whirled her around the floor. She never saw the guy leaning against the wall opposite them. She never saw the way his blues seemed to follow her every move and she remained oblivious when he pushed off the wall and walked out with one last look over his shoulder at her.

_(Part 2; a Deadly Confrontation)_

A few days later the rangers, including Billy, were helping Alpha around the Command Center. The ex-rangers decided to hang out together until they were done. Kim, Aisha and Trini wanted to go shopping, so they dragged Zack and Jason, despite their protests, with them. Kim was shopping for Melissa as she had picked up some overtime at the hospital for a fellow worker who was on maternity leave. About four hours later, to Zack and Jason's relief, they left the mall. Kim went back to her house while the others went to the youth center. They had just arrived when the others teleported in.

"Hey guys," Trini called as she saw them walk in.

"Hey," Kat said. "What'd you guys do all day?"

Zack and Jason, who had their heads on the table, mumbled something.

"What was that?" Tanya asked.

Laughing, Aisha answered. "They went shopping with us and Kim."

"Ouch," Adam winced. "I feel bad for you guys….shopping with Kim is an absolute torture."

"We know," they both mumbled.

"How did they talk you guys into it?" Rocky asked.

"We didn't," Trini smiled. "See, we knew that we might not be able to get them to come, even if we threatened them, so…"

"So we let Kim do it," Aisha laughed. "And for some reason, they seem to fear Kim more than us."

"Do you blame us?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, I mean," Zack continued. "Have you ever tried to tell Kim that you weren't going to do something she asked?"

"I tried," Tommy said, "But I could never actually stick to it. Hey where is Kim by the way?"

"Oh she went home," Trini said.

"She was doing some shopping for your mom," Aisha added. "So she decided to take them home instead of lugging them all around town."

"Oh ok," he said. For some reason, an uneasy feeling came over him. He's been feeling it for a while but brushed it off as nothing. He silently wondered if any one else felt it too. Seeing the look on his face, Jason asked, "Hey man, what's with the look?"

"I don't know, it's just…" he paused. "Have any of you had any weird feelings the past few days?"

"Like something bad is going to happen?" Billy asked.

"Yeah" Tommy said.

"Honestly? Yes," Trini replied.

"Same here," Aisha said.

"Me too," Kat said, "But I just put it off as something to do with the Machine Empire."

"So did us," Adam said, gesturing to him, Rocky and Tanya. Tommy let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"What do you think it is?" Zack asked. "Do you really believe it has something to do with the Machine Empire?"

"I don't know Zack," Tommy answered him. "I hope so."

_(Miami Police Department)_

Maria walked to her desk with a frown on her face. For the past couple of days they had been trying to track down Michael Carpenter or Alexander Davis and they didn't have much luck. When the last lead they had pointed to him telling a friend he was going on vacation, they were forced to admit that the worst had happened. He was no longer in the state of Florida and was more than likely on his way to California. Checking the flight records only confirmed what they already suspected, Alexander was in California and he was going after Kimberly. Knowing the call she was about to make would not be pleasant; it was enough to make an already bad day even worse. Reaching her desk, Maria picked up the phone and dialed the number to AGPD.

"Hello?" she spoke. "I need to speak to a James Oliver."

_(Angel Grove Police Department)_

James Oliver has been a cop for fourteen years. It was something that he loved to do. When he joined AGPD, he quickly became well respected and was known as being a friendly guy. It was well known that his family meant more to him than anything. He was always talking about them and how happy he was when his son Tommy, had met, befriended and fell in love with Kimberly. A few of the cops on the force sometimes teased him about it because they had sons that had had an interest in the young girl. He took it all in stride. He was happy with his life and despite what had happened to Kimberly, didn't think that things could get worse than that. Today he would be proven wrong. He was just about to leave when a fellow officer called out to him. "Hey James, you got a call on the line….some woman."

Sighing, he picked up the phone on his desk. "I got it Dave. Hello?"

"_Is this Officer James Oliver?"_

"Yes it is," James replied. "Who am I talking to?"

"_My name is Sergeant Maria Daniels," she replied. "I'm with the Miami Police Department."_

A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, James swallowed. "What is this about?"

"_Does the name Kimberly Hart mean anything to you?"_

"She's my son's girlfriend," he replied.

"_A few months ago, Kimberly filed a complaint against the assistant coach at the gymnastics training facility," She said. "The guy, Michael Carpenter is actually Alexander Davis and he was wanted by the Pal Springs Police Department for the rape and attack of a young woman."_

"What does any of this have to do with Kim?"

"_Well Mr. Davis was supposed to be transferred to the PSPD to be prosecuted for his crime, only…."_

"Only what Sergeant Daniels?"

"_He never made it," she said. "Alexander Davis escaped custody on the way and we believe that he may be in California."_

"Are you sure?" James asked.

"_Positive."_

"Wait how long ago was this?"

"_Just over a week ago."_

"WHAT?!" James yelled, unknowingly drawing attention to himself. "You mean to tell me that this guy got away over a week ago and we're just hearing about it?"

"_We didn't know," she replied. "We just found out a few days ago." She winced as soon as the words left her mouth, knowing that that would further enrage the guy. She wasn't wrong._

"YOU KNEW A FEW DAYS AGO?" he yelled. "WHAT, YOU DIDN'T THINK WE DESERVED THE RIGHT TO KNOW? THIS GUY HAS BEEN IN ANGEL GROVE FOR OVER A WEEK AND WE JUST NOW KNOW."

"_Sir…"_

"Listen lady, you better hope that nothing happens to my daughter," James said. "Or I will have your job." And with that he slammed the phone down. He turned to his partner and called him over.

"What is it James?"

"A few months ago a guy attacked Kim, that's why she came home," he said.

"Oh my God," Dave said.

"The worst of it is, the guy escaped custody and has probably been in Angel Grove for over a week now."

"Why don't we know this?"

"I don't know," James said, "But if he's here then I can guarantee you that he's going to go after Kimberly. Pull up everything you can find on Michael Carpenter or Alexander Davis, they're the same person. Get his pictures out to everyone on the job and do it fast. We need to find this guy before he finds Kim."

"Alright," Dave said. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to help, but first I need to call Tommy," he replied. "I'll tell him to keep an eye on Kim. We need to find this guy."

"Don't worry," Dave said. "We will."

James nodded as he walked away. Pulling out his phone, he dialed his son's cell number.

"_Hello?"_

"Tommy," he said. "It's dad."

"_Hey dad."_

"Listen, is Kim with you?"

_(Youth Center)_

Hearing his phone ring, Tommy bent down and went through his bag. Feeling it, he grabbed it and pulled it out. Not bothering to check the ID, he answered.

"Hello?"

"_Tommy," James said. "It's dad."_

"Hey dad"

"_Listen, is Kim with you?"_

"No," Tommy said. "She went home to drop off some things for mom." On the other end, James let out a curse. That weird feeling getting stronger, Tommy sat up straight in the chair. "Dad, what's going on?" hearing the question, the others became alert.

"_I can't tell you over the phone," James said. "Just do me a favor and go home and check on Kim."_

"Tell me what's going on dad?" Tommy asked his father, fear moving through his body. "Why do you need me to check on Kim?" this time, everyone's complete attention was focused on Tommy.

"_Not over the phone," James repeated "Just please do as I say. I'm on my way to the house."_

"Alright," he said as he hung up. Without a word, he grabbed his bag and headed out. The others looked at each other before they all moved ran after him. They got there just as he reached his jeep.

"Tommy, what's going on?" Tanya asked.

"Is something wrong with Kim?" Jason demanded.

"I don't know," Tommy replied as he threw his bag in the jeep. "All my dad told me was to check on her."

"Did he say why?" Aisha asked.

"No," he replied. "He said he couldn't tell me over the phone. Right now I'm going home. I called Kim's cell before you guys came out and she's not answering."

"We're coming to," Rocky said, and the others nodded.

"Alright, let's go," Tommy told them. Rocky, Aisha, Adam and Tanya went with Tommy and Zack, Billy, Trini and Kat went with Jason, who was driving his mom's car. Within seconds, the two cars pulled out of the parking lot and made their way to the Oliver's house. Before he even stopped the car, Tommy was already out the jeep. When he close, he noticed the front door was open. His heart racing, he ran inside. "KIMBERLY?!" not hearing an answer, he went to his bedroom, hoping that he would find her there. He bounded up the stairs and searched through the rooms, calling out her name; but he received no answer. As he was passing his room, he heard Jason calling him. "TOMMY, GET DOWN HERE!" his heart in his throat, he flew down the stairs, when he got to the kitchen, he saw what had had Jason yelling for him. The kitchen was a mess. The shopping bags were all over the floor and most everything that was on the table was on the floor. What stopped his heart was the small amount of blood that was smeared on the fridge.

"Oh my God," Tommy whispered. Before anyone could say anything, they heard James calling. "Tommy? Kimberly? Is anyone here?"

"In here Mr. Oliver," Adam shouted back. James walked into the kitchen, not knowing what to expect. He saw them standing around in the messed up kitchen.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"We don't know," Aisha said. "When we got here it was like this."

James looked around his kitchen before he looked back at his son's friends. His gaze finally rested on Tommy, who he noticed was standing rigidly. He took a step forward, careful not to touch anything.

"Did you guys touch or handle anything?" he asked.

"No we didn't," Kat said. "Mr. Oliver, what's going on?"

"That's a very good question," Tommy spoke, his voice lifeless. "And one I'd like to know the answer to dad."

James sighed. "I got a call today from Miami Police Department."

"It's about Michael isn't it?" Tommy asked. The others looked confused.

"Yes," James replied. "Apparently, he escaped custody when they were transporting him up to Palm Springs. The cops who were transporting him waited a few days before contacting MPD and they waited a couple days before contacting us."

"What does this have to with Kim?" Billy asked.

"He's the guy that attacked Kim, isn't he?" Jason asked. The others let out gasps of shock.

"Yes he is," James said. "And according to them, he might be here in Angel Grove."

"Oh my God," Trini said. "He's going after Kim isn't he?"

"I hate to say it," James said, "But from the looks of things here, he may have already found her."

Tanya spoke next. "Well, can't you run a check of some kind? See where she is?"

"It won't matter," Billy said.

"Why?" Rocky asked.

"Because of this," he held up his hand to show them Kim's cell phone. "Without it, they won't be able to trace her."

"Billy's right," James said. "But don't think on that. We will find her."

"How the hell do you expect to do that?" Tommy asked his father, fear and anger coloring his tone. "Kim's missing and the same psycho that attacked her in Florida is now after her here. She doesn't have her phone and you have no idea where he is…so tell me dad, how the fuck do you think you'll find her?"

"Thomas James don't you swear at me," James scolded his son. "I know the situation is hopeless but we will find her."

"Whatever," Tommy said as he moved to walk out the kitchen. "And in the meantime, Kim will suffer until you do."

"Where are you going?" James called after him.

"I'm going to find my girlfriend," he replied darkly. "And then the son of bitch is going to regret ever going after her."

"Tommy…" James called. But it was no use. He didn't stop.

"Mr. Oliver," Jason said. "Don't be angry with Tommy for the way he reacted. He almost lost Kim before and to know that the guy that did that is here after her again…."

"I know," he sighed. He looked at them as they all filed out pass him. "Where are you going?"

"To either stop or help Tommy," Rocky replied. James said nothing as the group walked out his house. Pausing, he let out a breath before he used his radio to call in what happened. "This is Officer Oliver. I need backup at my house and also, I need an APB out on Kimberly Hart and I need to know how the search is going for Alexander Davis."

…

As soon as he was out of sight, Tommy raised his arm and teleported out in a flash of red. He landed in the Command Chamber, anger and fear moving through him, though the anger was so far being dominant. He moved straight to Zordon. "Zordon I need your help."

"What is it Tommy?"

"Kim's been kidnapped," Tommy replied. "The guy who attacked her in Florida is here in town and I think he has her."

"Alpha, run a search on Kimberly's bio signature," Zordon said.

"Right away Zordon," the little robot replied. After punching a few buttons on the console, Alpha let out a stream out a stream of ai-yi-yi-yis. "I can't pinpoint her location Zordon."

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked as he paced the floor.

"It means that Kimberly's location is in a place which prevents her frequency from being picked up on."

"So what do we do?" Tommy asked as he stopped pacing to look up at his mentor.

"We have hope and keep trying," Zordon replied. Seeing the anguish in Tommy's eyes, Zordon said. "DO not despair Tommy. Have faith in Kimberly and have faith that you will find her."

"I do," Tommy said. "I'm just worried about what will happen before we find her." he sighed and was quiet for a few minutes. After some thought, he looked up at Zordon with a determination. "Zordon, what's the closest location you can get to her frequency?"

"The closest location is near the abandoned warehouses," Alpha said.

"Of course," Tommy said. "It's always those places."

"Tommy, what are you thinking of doing?"

"I'm going after her Zordon," he replied. "And nothing you can say will stop me." Zordon looked as if he was going to say something, but at that moment, Tommy fell to his knees with a painful cry.

"Tommy," Zordon called, "What is it?"

"The…crane," he gasped out. "She's….she's…crying out….Kim….she's hurt." Tommy said nothing more as he disappeared in a red beam.

"Alpha, contact the other rangers," Zordon said. "I fear for both Tommy and Kimberly."

"Right away Zordon," Alpha said. "Rangers, come in rangers."

"_We read you Alpha," Adam said._

"Teleport to the Command Chamber immediately."

"_We're on our way," Adam said._

Seconds later, the entire group was in the CC _(A/N: that's how the Command Chamber will be referred to from now). _They saw Alpha pushing some buttons on the console and saw the grave look on Zordon's face. Instinctively they knew that somehow it had do with either Tommy or Kim or both.

"What's going on Zordon?" Zack asked. "Did Tommy show up here?"

"Yes he did Zackary," Zordon replied. "Unfortunately, he left."

"What did he want?" Trini asked.

"We tried to locate Kimberly's signal, however we couldn't."

"Why not?" Jason asked.

"Wherever she's being held," Zordon replied. "We cannot lock on to her bio signature. The frequency is interrupted."

"Oh man," Adam said. "The one chance we had to find Kim and we can't even use it."

"Where's Tommy at now?" Kat asked. Before Zordon could answer, the alarms went off.

"Now what?" Tanya asked.

"Tommy's being attacked by cogs," Alpha said. "You have to help him."

"We're on our way," Jason said. Quickly morphing, the rangers teleported to where Tommy was. When they got there, they saw that he was surrounded by cogs, with General Shego firing blasts at him. They helped with the cogs, but before they could get to Tommy, Shego disappeared with him.

"NO!" Jason yelled as he collapsed to his knees. "Tommy…"

"Jase man," Adam said as he knelt next to him. "Let's go. We have to go back to the CC." Adam pulled Jason to his feet and they disappeared. The moment the reappeared in the CC, Jason pulled away only to slam his fist into the wall. Trini pulled from the group and walked over to her boyfriend. She reached him as soon as he powered down and gathered him in her arms.

"It's ok," she said softly.

"No it's not," he replied. "First Kim and now Tommy. You know what's going to happen, Tri."

"They're going to turn him, aren't they?" Zack asked as he walked over to them.

"Yes they will," Jason said. "And with the way Tommy's feeling now with everything that happened to Kim…."

"He's going to be even worse than when he was the green ranger," Billy finished.

"Exactly," Jason said. "Now we have to worry on how to find Kim and how to save Tommy. And I don't think we're going to get Tommy back without Kimberly."

_(Somewhere downtown Angel Grove, near the warehouse district)_

"Wakie wakie, Kimmy-poo," a voice said. Kim moaned as she regained consciousness. As she opened her eyes, she looked around. "Ugh, where am I?" she tried to move but found she was tied to a chair. _**Oh no, not again.**_ Hearing a noise, she looked up to see someone coming towards her. "Hello? Is someone there?" The person came closer until they stepped into the light. When she saw who it was, she gasped. "No."

He smiled at her. "Hello again Kimberly."

"Michael," she said as everything came back to her.

_Flashback_

_Kim smiled as she made her way home. She had so much fun today with Aisha, Trini, Zack and Jason. She laughed as she remembered the relief on the boys face when she and the girls announced they were done shopping. __**I swear, they need to get over it. They're lucky I had to shop for mom otherwise we would've stayed longer.**__ Shaking her head, she opened the door and made her way into the kitchen. Setting the bags on the counter, she turned to open the cupboards but stopped when she heard a noise behind her. Turning around, she was shocked to see none other than Michael standing there._

"_What the hell are you doing here?" she asked her heart pounding. _

"_Hello Kimberly," he smirked. "Or should I say, 'Hello pink ranger?'"_

"_I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her heart pounding. "I'm not the pink ranger."_

"_Oh no, not now," he replied. "But you were once. You see, I met this very strange guy that gave me all sorts of information on you and your friends. He wanted help to destroy the rangers and I wanted….well I wanted you. And now, I can have you." With that, he moved after her. Kim, though fear was running through her, decided not to make it easy for him. She fought him as she tried to get away. As he came at her, she gave him a powerful kick to his stomach._

"_I see you learned a few things," he said._

"_I'm not the same girl I was a few months ago Michael."_

"_It doesn't matter," he replied. "I will get you, one way or the other." He went to attack her again, but like before, she fought. She grabbed a knife from the counter and swiped at him. Michael let out a yell when he felt the knife cut his arm._

"_You little bitch you're going to pay for that." Kim kicked him into the fridge where he smeared his arm on the door. She flipped out of his way when he came at her, kicking him in the process. He fell to the floor. She was so focused on him, she never saw Shego. She turned to leave but felt a blow to her stomach, knocking her unconscious. _

_End flashback_

"What do you think is going to happen, Michael?" she asked as she shook out of her thoughts. "Unlike last time, people will know I'm gone." She noticed that like last time, the rope around her wrist wasn't bound tight. It was slack enough for her to untie.

"They won't be able to find you," he smirked in triumph.

"Tommy's father is a cop," she said. "And if you figure that I'm a ranger or rather I was one, then you know that Tommy was one as well."

"Please Kim," he laughed. "Tommy can't take me."

"Is that so?" Kim asked. She was scared, but she felt even more confident than she did last time. She knew without a doubt that Tommy will find her. And when he did, Michael…Alexander…whoever the hell he is, will regret coming after her. "Did Shego or Gasket tell you that Tommy's _the _ranger? He's the one everyone tries to beat but never could. What do you think Tommy's going to do to you when he finds out you have me? You think Shego or Gasket is going to help you…think again. You're going to regret doing this. Tommy's the most powerful ranger ever." Kim smiled to herself as she saw the fear in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "By the time he finds you, you'll be dead." He raised his arm, the one that had the gun attached to it and fired at her. Kim's eyes widen as she saw the beam heading towards her. Seconds before it hit, she felt the rope give way. She raised her arms in front of her and as she did do, she felt the power of the crane settle over her just before the beam hit her, sending her backwards. _**Oh man, that hurt.**_ She groaned as she rolled to her stomach. _**Thank God for the powers. **_She placed her hands palm down and pushed herself to her knees. Crawling, she made her way out of Alex's line of sight. She fell back against some crates as she tried to catch her breath. _**How the hell am I going to get out of here? It's obvious Michael or rather Alex got some type of improvement from Gasket. There's no way I'll be able to handle him on my own. I need help.**_ She was there for a few minutes before she heard his looked up as she heard him approach.

"So you're still alive," he sneered. "No matter; prepare to die Kimberly." He raised his hands once more, but before he could fire another blast, he heard a voice as cold as ice and dark as night behind him.

"**I don't think so."**

_(After Tommy was kidnapped)_

Tommy struggled as Shego held on to him. "Let me go you freak."

"Why red ranger," Gasket said. "It's so nice of you to come by."

"Gasket," he said. "Let me go or I swear I will rip you to pieces."

"Now why would I do that?" Gasket asked. "You will be ripping people to pieces but it won't be me. Ready the machine." Shego nodded as he shackled Tommy to the wall.

"What machine?" Tommy asked as he struggled against the bonds.

"Zordon has the rangers under his control," Gasket said. "So I figured, why can't I have one as well. It's time the green ranger came back to our side. Don't you think?"

"NO!" Tommy yelled. "I'll never work for you and I'll never become Dragon again."

"I'm afraid you won't have a choice Red ranger," Gasket laughed.

"The machine is ready my Lord," Shego said.

"Good," Gasket replied. "Do it." Tommy struggled even more as he saw the machine turn to him. He fought, even though he knew it was no use. His last thought before the beam hit him was Kimberly. He screamed in pain as he felt the beam wash over him. He felt the evil and tried to fight it. Minutes later, he stopped screaming. When he raised his head, his eyes flashed green.

"We did it," Gasket said. "Rise my green ranger." Gasket was shocked when, instead of doing what he said, Tommy chuckled.

"I am no one's ranger," Tommy said. He stood up and with a twist of his wrist; he snapped the bonds that were holding him.

"You will obey me," Gasket demanded.

Tommy chuckled again, the sound dark and chilling. "I obey no one except me." he fired a beam at Shego, knocking the general into the wall. With Gasket's attention focused on his general, he never saw Tommy move. The only thing he saw was a red blur before he felt a blow and found himself flying across the room. **"The name's Dragon." **He said. **"And while it would be fun to stay and kill you, I have some unfinished business. But no worries, I will be back for you." **Focusing on his bond with Kim, Tommy disappeared from the room, leaving behind an injured and shocked Gasket. As the beam cleared, he found himself standing in an abandoned warehouse. Hearing voices, he walked to it. He got there just in time to hear what Alex said to Kim. Pure anger flowed through his veins at the voice of the man. Moving behind him, he spoke;

"**I don't think so."**

Alex turned around in surprise. "You…how did you get here?"

Dragon chuckled, the sound sending shivers down Alex's back. **"You shouldn't worry about that. You should worry about if you're going to make it out of here." **Kim, who was behind the crates, looked out when she heard the voice. She gasped in surprise when she saw Tommy standing there. What had shocked her though was the fact that his eyes were flashing green.

"Dragon," she whispered. Tommy's gaze turned towards her.

"**Hello Kimmy," **he said. **"It's nice to see you remember me." **Kim stood up shakily, not seeing his eyes flash even greener as he saw that.

"Of course I remember you," she said as she walked forward. "You're not an easy person to forget."

"**I'm glad you think so," **he said. **"How are you?"**

"A little shaken up," she replied. In the back of her mind, she briefly wondered why she wasn't scared of him, considering what had happened the first time she met him. But even as quick as the thought came, it disappeared. Dragon was as much a part of Tommy as anything else and she knew that Tommy would never hurt her. Shaking her head, she took a couple more steps forward. She bypassed Alex and went straight to him. When she got close enough, he reached out a hand and grabbed her arm. He pulled her towards him. **"Are you sure you're ok? He didn't do anything did he?" **Before she could answer, Alex spoke.

"I never got the chance to," he said. "I wanted to do to her what I did in Florida, but you interrupted me and I don't like that." At his words, the rage in Tommy magnified, making Dragon stronger. Pushing Kim behind him, he took a step forward. **"You're biggest mistake was touching her in the first place. You made an even bigger one when you thought you could touch her again and get away with it. You were told before that if you came near her again that you would regret it."**

"Bring it on," Alex taunted. "I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to rape her over and over before I kill her." Controlling his rage, Dragon turned to Kim. **"Get out of here."**

"I can't," she replied. "He placed some sort of shield around the building. That's why he was shocked when you got here. No one can find us."

"**Get to a window and try to radio the rangers," **he said. **"I want you to stay out of the way."**

She nodded as she turned to do what he said. When she was out of the way, she made her way over to a window. Raising her wrist to her mouth, she tried contacting the rangers or Zordon.

"Zordon come in." all she heard was static. She sighed as she tried it again. "Zordon…anyone…come in. It's Kimberly…can you read me?"

"_Kimberly…is th-that you?" Billy said._

"Yes! Billy it's me," Kim replied.

"_Do-do you know wh-where you are?"_

"An abandoned warehouse downtown," she replied. She looked out the window before speaking again. "I can see the front of Angel Grove Mutual Bank in the distance."

"_Al-alright," Billy said. "Ha-hang on Kim, we'll get you out of there."_

"Hurry Billy," Kim said, seconds before she lost the connection. She sighed as she let her wrist fall. She heard a crash and turned to see Alex in a wall, Tommy or rather Dragon walking towards him. Making her way back to them, she made sure that she stayed out of their way. She saw that Tommy had morphed into his ZEO uniform and that they weren't saying anything, they were just fighting. Dragon fired a blast towards Alex, who tried to move out of the way, but couldn't. The blast hit him head on. He didn't have time to recover as Dragon was on him again. Already in pain, he couldn't block the blows that rained down on him. Another blast from Dragon had him flying backwards, landing next to her. She held herself still, not wanting to draw his attention. But he must have known she was there or she had made a sound because he suddenly turned towards her. Before she could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. "NO! Let me go!"

"Sorry, no can do." He stood up and pulled her in front of him.

"**Let her go."**

"You know, I don't think I will," he said. When Dragon took a step forward, Alex pulled out a gun and turned it on Kim. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Seeing the gun, Dragon stopped short. "Good boy."

"**You hurt her and I will kill you," **Dragon said.

"She'll die before you could even get to me," Alex replied. "And by then, it doesn't matter if you got to me or not. I'll already have my revenge. Taking the thing you cherish the most effectively destroying the red ranger." Dragon cocked his helmet towards them and Kim knew instinctively that he was looking right at her. Though the helmet hid his eyes, she looked past the evil and the anger and saw Tommy beneath it and the fear in his eyes….the fear for her life. And that's who she spoke to.

"It's ok Tommy," she said. "As long as the bastards gone, I don't care."

Alex laughed. "That's sweet."

"That's love," Kim said. "Not that you'd know anything about that."

Alex growled as he grabbed her hair and jerked her backwards, which caused Dragon to let out his own growl. "I was in love with you. But all you cared you about is your precious _Tommy_." he looked from her to Tommy and back again. A wicked smile made its way across his face. "You know, I wanted you to cause you the most pain. That's why I kidnapped you. But now I see. The only way to do that is to get rid of him." Kim's eyes widen as she heard that. Dragon laughed at him.

"**Go ahead, try it," **he said. **"And when it doesn't work, I'll take great pleasure in getting rid of you."**

"Alright," Alex said as he pointed to the gun on him. "Say goodbye to lover-boy Kimberly." He cocked the gun and prepared to fire.

"NO!" Kim shouted before she knocked his arm upward. The shot rang out and hit a rafter instead. Kim turned and elbowed Alex in his side before she grabbed the hand with the gun. The two wrestled as Dragon watched on, fear making a presence in him for the first time. His heart pounded as he watched the two, feeling helpless to do anything. Kim and Alex fought over the gun. He threw her to the ground and Kim, still having a hold on him, pulled him with her. She punched him on his nose, and kneed him in the groin, causing him to scream out in pain. The two wrestled around the gun and all three froze when a shot rang out.

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A/N 2: aint I a stinker? (lol) that cliffhanger is so mean. I hope you guys liked it. It might be a bit confusing and parts might feel incomplete (like the part with James) but I promise, everything will be explained in the next chapter; which is titled 'AFTERMATH'.

**A/N 3: **I know a lot of reviewers wanted Jason and Rocky to have a go at Michael. Before I wrote this chapter, that's what I had planned, but by the time I finished it, I realized that they didn't. I'm sorry to everyone that wanted that to happen. And I hope I did okay enough on the scene between Michael and Tommy. One confrontation down and one more to go. Might be next chapter, might not be. I'm not sure yet. Anyways, read and review and let me know what you think.

Oh and Happy Fourth of July Weekend.


	11. Fights, Bbqs and More Fights

**A/N: **another chapter for you guys. I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning to finish it, so you guys better like it.

**A/N 2: **for the first half of this chapter, a part of it is done for JasonLeeScottfan, so I hope you enjoy it. The second half is done for my friend Falcon4Crane who helped me mold the idea for it. To all my readers and reviewers and everyone who has me or my stories as favorites or on alerts, it means a lot. So thank you. Enough talking; read and enjoy guys.

**A/N 3: **this is the last time this will be said: **I NEVER WATCHED ANY PR EPISODES AFTER AJJ LEFT THE SHOW, SO IF ANYTHING HAPPENS OR A CHARACTER IS CHANGED OR LEFT OUT, THAT'S WHY. OH AND THIS IS ****FANFICTION****, WHICH MEANS, I DO WHAT I WANT. THANK YOU!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

_

* * *

_

_Last time on HBC;_

"_Alright," Alex said as he pointed to the gun on him. "Say goodbye to lover-boy Kimberly." He cocked the gun and prepared to fire._

"_NO!" Kim shouted before she knocked his arm upward. The shot rang out and hit a rafter instead. Kim turned and elbowed Alex in his side before she grabbed the hand with the gun. The two wrestled as Dragon watched on, fear making a presence in him for the first time. His heart pounded as he watched the two, feeling helpless to do anything. Kim and Alex fought over the gun. He threw her to the ground and Kim, still having a hold on him, pulled him with her. She punched him on his nose, and kneed him in the groin, causing him to scream out in pain. The two wrestled around the gun and all three froze when a shot rang out. _

_(Now—Part 1: Wrath of a Dragon)_

Both Dragon and Tommy stood still, fear rushing through their bodies. One thought rushed through their minds, _Move Kim, Move!_ Deep inside, Tommy felt despair and sorrow pushed through the fear and fill his heart. What seemed like hours or eternity, but was actually seconds, later, when Kim still hadn't moved, he let it overtake him. Dragon stood stock still and watched the only person he ever cared about die in front of him. He closed his eyes and never saw the movement of Kimberly's hand. Feeling the pain of the human inside, it soon turned to anger and he let it fill him. Like an ink bottle spilled over him, the red ZEO suit slowly changed to the green MORPHIN suit; a red glow, complimentary to his ZEO power, surrounded him but had turned green creating an aura of anger, despair and hatred. Not feeling their connection with Kim, Tommy didn't fight it as Dragon took complete control. His anger fueling him, only one thought ran through Dragon's mind, '_They're all going to pay.' _So focused on his anger, he never saw Kim's eyes open slightly. Seconds later, the newly revived Green Dragon teleported out of the warehouse never even hearing the slight gasp that came from Kim. Minutes later, James and the other rangers burst into the warehouse.

_(Minutes earlier)_

Kim froze as she felt the gun went off. She was terrified as she wasn't sure if the bullet hit her, Tommy or Alex. She waited with bated breath for the surge of pain that she knew would come with such a wound. After waiting for seconds, she realized that no pain was coming and let out a silent relieved smile. Eyes still closed, she slowly and hesitantly moved her hand. Seconds later, Kim opened her eyes. She looked directly into Alex's face and saw that he was still. Feeling an intense surge of power, Kim shifted her eyes and saw Tommy. She saw that she was looking at the Green Morphin ranger instead of the Red Zeo ranger. _'What the hell?' _She thought to herself. She let out a gasp as she watched him teleport out. She pushed Alex's body off of her the moment that James and the others ran up to her.

"Kimberly!" Jason called to her. He fell to his knees when he was next to her. He held out his hand and helped her to her feet. "Are you alright sis?"

"I'm fine," Kim groaned. James moved from her to check on Alex. He felt his neck for a pulse.

"He's dead," James said. "Kim, sweetie, what happened?"

"Gunshot wound," Kim said. "He pulled a gun on me and we fought for a bit. The gun went off and I guess he got it."

"Other than that," James said. "You're fine though, right?"

"Yeah dad," Kim smiled. "I'm fine." James' partner Dave came up to them.

"Is everyone ok?" he looked down at Alex. "Holy crap what happened to him?" his exclamation was due to the fact that Alex still had the gun on his arm.

"He told me that he met with Prince Gasket, the enemy of the power rangers," Kim swallowed. "The gun on his arm was an upgrade from him."

Fortunately, having lived in Angel Grove for five years, Dave was familiar with the Power Rangers and their enemies. So all he did was whistle before he spoke. "Gasket must've been either very generous or very desperate." The others let out wry chuckles. "Alright, I'm going to get someone to bring over a body bag," Dave said before he turned to Kim. "Are you up to coming down to the station to answer some questions?"

"Not now Dave," James intercepted. "At least give her time."

"It's ok dad," Kim said. "It's better I do this now and get it over with."

"You can come down with James," Dave said. "Be—

"_Calling all officers," an officer called over the radio. "Can anyone read me?"_

"This is Officer Oliver," James said as he pulled the radio to his mouth. "Could you tell me what the situation is?"

"_You'll never believe it," the officer said. "But the green ranger is destroying downtown."_

"The green ranger?" Dave asked.

"_The first green ranger," the officer continued. "The one that had the huge Godzilla-like zord."_

"Tommy," Kim whispered, unfortunately, James heard her as he was next to her and his eyes snapped towards her in shock and disbelief. Not saying anything about her whisper, he turned back to his partner.

"Lets' get these kids," he said. "And this body, out of here."

"Will do," Dave replied. He turned just as two officers came up with a body bag and a stretcher. They loaded Michael into it and onto the stretcher. James grabbed Kim's elbow as the group turned to walk out the warehouse.

"Hold on a minute," he spoke to Kim. Jason and the others stopped as well. He waved Dave and the two officers forward and they nodded at him as they kept going. The others turned to look at James, who still had a hand on Kim's elbow.

"Why did you call Tommy's name when the officer said the first 'green ranger'?" he asked her. Kim looked him, silently debating on what to tell him. She wasn't sure if she could tell him the truth, but knew that lying was not an option. With a resigned sigh and look upon her face, she spoke.

"I said that because it's true," she paused. "Tommy's the green ranger."

"How?" James asked. He looked around at each of them, for the first time noticing the colors that they wore. "You're the power rangers…aren't you?"

They couldn't deny it, even if they wanted to, but they weren't in any hurry to confirm it either. Zordon's warnings ran through their minds and they wondered just what the penalty would be for allowing someone to find out their secret. One glance through the entire group confirmed what they were feeling. And in that glance, they made the decision to accept the consequences together…as a team.

"Yes," Jason spoke. "We are."

"Oh my God," James said.

"Tommy was the first green ranger," Kim said.

"Wait a minute," James said. "The green ranger didn't show up until after we moved to Angel Grove and he was evil. Are you telling me that that was my son?"

"It wasn't Tommy's fault," Billy spoke.

"Rita had noticed him at the martial arts expo," Kim spoke softly. "She kidnapped him and made him prove himself to her before she turned him."

James opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Kim.

"Dad, please," she said. "We could stand here going over this but you remember what the green ranger was like before he joined the rangers, the damaged he did."

"Why is he the green ranger again?" Rocky asked.

"Because," Kim swallowed. "Because he thinks I'm dead." She had figured it out because she knew that what would be only the way he would teleport out of here without checking on her. His pain would be too much. Her revelation left them stunned, but it also left them with a sense of urgency.

"Oh God," Trini spoke. "I can imagine the damage that he'll do."

"We have to find him," Zack said. "If we don't, it'll be even worse than when he was first turned."

"I understand that Tommy being the evil green ranger again is a bad thing," James said. "But how can it be worse than before?"

"Because the last time," Jason spoke. "Tommy wasn't in love with Kim and she wasn't being hurt by someone else. A lot of things have happened to Kim and Tommy and Kim is Tommy's whole world. With everything that has happened to Kim in the past few days and everything with Michael in Florida—

"And now, with him thinking that she's dead," Aisha said. "Tommy will go on a rampage."

"And we need to find him before that happens," Tanya said.

"Alright," James conceded. "Kim, I'll take you—

"No," Kim cut him off.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"I have to go with them," Kim said. "I'm the only that will be able to get through to him. If they go, they will only be able to slow him down for a bit, but they won't stop him."

"In fact," Jason spoke. "Without Kim, our presence might push Tommy even more over the edge. We can't let that happen."

"I know you're worried dad," Kim said. "But if you don't let me go, you will lose Tommy."

"And none of us here wants that," Kat spoke.

James looked at each of them before his gazed settled on the girl that had captured his son's, as well as his and his wife's, heart. The earnest determination he saw on her face was more than enough to show him that she was willing to do anything and everything to save Tommy. Suddenly his mind went back to when to the words Tommy spoke when they were at the house after finding out about Kim being kidnapped;

"_I'm going to find my girlfriend," he replied darkly. "And then the son of bitch is going to regret ever going after her."_

And now, knowing what he did, and remembering the damage the green ranger had done before, '_And that was before he fell in love with Kim.' _The words of the others sunk in. He looked at each of them and sighed in resignation.

"Alright," he spoke. "You win. Just…just be careful."

"We will," Kim spoke, the determination strong in her voice.

"I'll cover for you," James said. "Just so you know, you owe me a lot of explanations."

"Alright," Kim let out a tiny smile. She turned back to her friends. "Let's go save my boyfriend." The group nodded and as one, they turned to leave. James watched them go with warring emotions of pride and worry. _'Be safe guys…be safe.' _

Kim and the others carefully made their way out of the warehouse. They had one thing on their mind and that was to get to Tommy as soon as possible. Kim looked back and saw James duck out just behind them. He gave her a barely imperceptible nod of his head and moved to where the other cops were. Kim nodded back at him before turning her attention back to her friends.

"Billy," she spoke. "Do you have your frequency tracker on you and will you be able to track Dragon?"

Billy smiled at his little sister even as he pulled the frequency tracker from his pocket. "I have it here Kim. We should be able to track Tommy."

"Let's do it," She said. "We need to hurry." He nodded before focusing on the tracker. Seconds later, he announced Tommy's whereabouts. Minutes later, multicolored teleportation lights took off into the sky.

…

Dragon watched in pleasure as people scattered away from him. He raised his hand and let loose another blast which connected with a car, sending it a few feet away. He chuckled as he watched the aftermath of his destruction.

"**Look at them run," **his helmet hiding his dark smile. **"They should be lucky that they are alive to run in the first place." **Taking another look around and completely satisfied with the destruction that he saw, he teleported out of there. Mere seconds later, the rangers teleported in.

"Oh my God," Tanya's hand flew to her mouth.

"Tommy did this?" Kat asked. The others gasped as they looked at the scene. Buildings were burned and falling apart; cars were blown up; fire hydrants were busted open, water shooting up and all over. Kim felt tears spring to her eyes. She could feel the pain and anger in the air and she knew that it was how Tommy was feeling.

"Oh Tommy," Kim whispered.

"Well," Adam said. "We know for sure Tommy was here, but where did he go?"

"Billy," Zack called out. "Can you still find him?"

"Yes," Billy said. "But we have to hurry. With the way Dragon is moving, and the amount of power he's giving off might overload the tracker, we might lose him."

"Where did you go Tommy?" Kim whispered. _'Where are you baby?' _

"Come on guys," Jason said. "Let's make sure no one is hurt or anything."

"Tommy would never forgive himself if someone got hurt," Trini said.

"We have to find him Jase," Kim turned to her big brother.

"We will sis," Jason answered her. "We will." They moved to check the debris to make sure no one was hurt. They tried to contain some of the fires and got most of it under control. When they were done, they took one last look to make sure no one was there before they teleported.

…

Gasket, the Prince of the Machine Empire, was in his throne room pacing. He couldn't believe that his plan had failed. He had thought that he had finally found a way to destroy the rangers, using one of their own, but it didn't go like he wanted. _'That meddlesome ranger…he should be under my control. The power that he gave off, it should be mine!' _He was shaken from his thoughts by his general.

"My Prince," Shego spoke. "You have a visitor."

"Who is it?" Gasket asked.

"Hello darling," Archerina said as she stepped out of the shadows and into the room.

"Archerina," Gasket was a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"What?" She asked. "I couldn't come see my dear husband?"

"You can—

"Besides," she interrupted him. "I live here too, or did you forget that?"

"I didn't," Gasket replied. "You left a while ago and I didn't expect you to return to soon."

"Yes well," she spoke. "I wasn't going to, but then I got bored and remembered that you were fighting the rangers and I decided that I should come home and help my lovely husband defeat them."

Gasket smiled and moved to take her hand in his. "My lovely wife, with you by side, those rangers will soon taste defeat."

"I know," Archerina said. "Now what has been happening?"

"I turned one of the rangers evil," Gasket said.

"That's brilliant," she was surprised. "They would never expect that."

"I got the idea from when Rita had the first green ranger on her side before Zordon broke her hold over him," Gasket told her. "I used the same ranger because the evil would take hold of him quicker because he already was evil."

"Well where is he?"

"He attacked and then left," Gasket strode away from her. "I never expected that to happen."

"What did happen?" Archerina questioned.

"He said that he was under no one's control but his own," Gasket said. "He had things to take care of then he'll be back."

"We just have to be ready for him," Archerina walked over to him. "There's no way that a _ranger_ is strong enough to defeat us."

"My Prince?" Shego called.

"Yes Shego?"

"There's a ranger attacking the town," Shego said. "But I don't think he's with the rangers because his suit is different from the others."

"What do you mean?" Gasket asked as he went over to him. He looked at his screen and saw what he was talking about. "The green ranger?"

"There's something different about him," Shego said. Archerina walked up to them. She looked at the screen and saw what they were talking about. She focused on the green ranger; something about his suit troubling her. After a few seconds, she figured it out.

"That's Rita' green ranger."

"What?" both Gasket and Shego looked at her.

"I'm positive that that is the ranger that Rita had under her command," Archerina continued. "This means that that is the leader of the power rangers."

"But he was wearing a red suit when he escaped from here," Shego pointed out.

"Something must have happened to cause his suit to change," Gasket said. They watched for a few more minutes before they decided to go down there.

"Why?" Archerina asked.

"Because if we can't get him on our side," Gasket said. "Then he must be destroyed. And the power rangers will crumble without their leader." The other two nodded and all three disappeared from the throne room.

…

Dragon stood on top of a cliff over looking the downtown area of Angel Grove. From his perch, he was in the perfect position to watch everyone else. He saw couples holding hands and walking towards the park, he saw them on the streets, he saw them everywhere and that made the anger in him grow. _**'I lost the woman I love and every single one of you is able to walk down the streets with the one you love; but not me…not anymore. If I have to suffer, then you all have to as well.' **_He chuckled as he flipped off and landed on his feet in the middle of the street. People stopped and stared at him, some wondering if they were dreaming and their nightmares were coming to life. They recognized the green ranger suit and remembered the damage he had done before he had joined up with the power rangers. Dragon just looked at them before he laughed; a dark sound that sent a shiver and fear through their bodies. He raised his gun. **"Run." **That one word, a command, was not yelled but it was firm and direct and managed to get them moving. He laughed as he fired a blast, their screams filling the air. Deep inside, Tommy closed his eyes and ears to the sounds, his heart empty over the loss of Kim. Dragon walked on, destroying everything in his path. His pain over his love's loss showing itself in the carnage he left behind. He felt the disturbance in the air just seconds before he heard a voice.

"Good job on the damage," Gasket spoke.

"**What do you want?" **

"You on my side," Gasket said as he took a step forward.

"You're very strong green ranger," Archerina spoke. "You would do well on our side."

"**Who's the metal bitch?" **Dragon asked. Archerina bristled at the insult. She opened her mouth to say something but Dragon had started talking again. **"And as I told you before, I work for no one but myself. I will never be on your side. The only thing I have for you is thanks for letting me out."**

"You refuse to ally yourself to us?" Archerina asked. "Why?"

"**Because I can and I don't feel like allying myself to anyone."**

"Is it because of that pink ranger?" Shego asked. Dragon stiffened but said nothing. Shego continued. "Did it hurt to know that she chose the human over you?"

"**What do you know about it?"**

"How do you think he got his upgrade?" Gasket asked. "He needed help in capturing a girl, imagine our surprise when said girl turn out to be none other than the former pink ranger and the girl of the rangers' leader. If you ally yourself with us, you can have toys like his and more."

"**You gave him the guns?" **Dragon asked his anger building inside of him. **"You're the reason he took her…the reason she's gone? I told you before that I would be back to handle you, but now, I think I'll just kill you. It's because of you why she's not here and for that…you must pay." **That was the only warning they got before he attacked them. Like before, Shego found himself flying through the air. He got up to attack again but instead saw a beam coming straight at him. He had no chance to move and it connected. When the air cleared, Gasket's general was no more.

"NO!" Gasket shouted. "You will pay for that!"

"**Bring it on." **Gasket, along with Archerina raised their swords and went after him. The trip fought, with Dragon ducking most of their blows. He kicked Archerina away and fired a blast at her. He then turned his attention back to Gasket, the one he deemed responsible for everything. He felt the anger and the rage building inside of him but instead of letting it control him, he controlled it. Every attack, every blow against Gasket he fueled his rage into it. The two kept going at it, completely oblivious to everything. Archerina staggered to her feet just in time to see the other rangers teleport in.

"Tommy," Kim said. She took a step forward but was held back by Jason. "Jase let me go!"

"No Kim," he said. "You could get hurt and that is the last thing that anyone needs, especially with Tommy the way he is."

From her position, Archerina's brow furrowed as she listened to their conversation. _'Is that the pink ranger Gasket was talking about? The one that holds the heart of the green ranger? Hmmm. She might prove useful.' _Avoiding Gasket and Tommy, Archerina made her way over to the others. She was behind them when she decided to speak. "Well well well, if it isn't the power rangers."

"Who the hell are you?" Aisha asked.

"That's Archerina," Kat said. "Gasket's wife."

"Right you are pink ranger," Archerina said.

"Well what do you want?" Trini asked.

"It's not what I want," Archerina said. "It's who."

"Who is it that you want?" Rocky asked.

"Her," Archerina smiled as she pointed to Kim. "The one that hold's the green ranger's heart."

"What?" Kim said as she took a step back. "What do you want with me?"

"Bait," Archerina said before she fired a blast at them. She took advantage and moved to grab Kim. She pulled her against her and they disappeared, only to reappear at the other side of the street, away from the rangers but closer to the battle between Tommy and Gasket.

"You really don't want to do this," Kim spoke.

"Oh?" Archerina looked down at her. "And why not?"

"Because the last thing you want is Tommy on your ass," Kim said. "If you think he's bad now, just wait until he realizes that you have me. You will regret it."

"I'm not afraid of him," Archerina growled.

"You should be," Kim whispered. She needed to let Tommy know that she was alive and well. She closed her eyes and focused on where her ninjetti powers used to lie. She had felt the crane powers settle over her when Michael had fired that beam at her and she needed the connection to them and Tommy now more than ever. Her brow furrowed, Kim concentrated. A few seconds later, she felt a wave of relief go through her when she felt the answering call of her powers. _**Shalimar**_

'_Yes Kimberly?'_

_**Is Brennan alright?**_

'_He is lost without Tommy,'__Shalimar replied. Shalimar flew around and Kim focused on calling out to Tommy's falcon. _

_**Brennan, can you hear me?**_

'_Kimberly?' he asked. He heard the cry of the crane. 'Shalimar?'_

_**Yes, it's us. I need to connect to Tommy. Can you help me?**_

'_His mind is clouded in evil,' Brennan said. 'It won't be easy.'_

_**What do I have to do?**_

'_Just focus on him and how much you love him.'_

_**Got it. **_

Eyes still closed, Kim focused on her love for Tommy.

_**Tommy.**_

An explosion rocked the street as Gasket flew backwards into a building. On the other side of the street, the rangers looked on in shock.

"Holy hell!" Adam said.

"I never thought I'd say this," Rocky shook his head. "But thank God for Gasket. I'd rather he be the one facing an evil Tommy than me."

"Same here," the others agreed.

"What's up with Kim?" Zack asked. They looked over and saw that she was glowing pink.

"I don't know," Trini muttered. "I just hope she's ok. Tommy will never recover if anything happens to her."

"I know that," Billy said.

Dragon took a step in Gasket's direction but stopped when he felt a familiar power reaching out to him. Deep inside, Tommy slowly opened his eyes. He heard a faint sound and his brow furrowed. He listened closely and heard the faint cry of his falcon. _**Brennan? **_He concentrated and the cry became even stronger. Seconds later, he heard a cry that left him reeling in shock. His eyes opened even wider when he heard the cry of the crane. _'It can't be.' _The crane's cry grew stronger and Tommy found himself moving off the ground to his knees. He focused on the cry and felt it even stronger. It was then he heard it, a voice he didn't think he'd ever hear again.

_**Tommy.**_

_Kimberly?_

Outside, Dragon still hadn't moved. He couldn't believe what he was feeling. _**It can't be her…it just can't be. **_He focused his senses on his surroundings, trying to sense exactly where that feeling was coming from. Seconds he later, he turned his helmet in Archerina's direction. What he saw made him freeze.

"**Kimberly?"**

"Hi Handsome," Kim replied.

"**You're alive," **Dragon said. Inside, Tommy stood in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He wanted to hold her or kiss her, anything to let him know that she was truly there.

"More or less," Kim said. Archerina tightened her grip on Kim; who let out a grunt as she felt it. Under his helmet, Dragon's eyes hardened even more.

"What's the matter ranger?" Archerina taunted. "You're not so tough now, are you?"

"**Let her go," **Dragon said.

"I think I'll hold onto to her a little longer," Archerina replied.

"**You're going to regret that," **Dragon replied. He shifted his stance and looked directly at Kim. He felt his heart thudding in his chest as he looked into her captivating doe-brown eyes. In that instance he saw the tears her eyes, but he also saw the determination. As he looked at them, he saw Kim's eyes widen and her eyes shifted to just beyond his shoulder. In his mind, he heard her voice scream one word;

_**Gasket!**_

Dragon ducked from the blow that would've connected to his head. As he turned, he punched Gasket right on his side. He summoned his sword and swiped him in his back sending him to his knees. Kim used Archerina's focus on the battle to her advantage. She brought back her hand and elbowed her in her face. She ducked under her arm and brought her knee into her stomach. When Archerina doubled over, Kim brought up her knee to her face. When Archerina fell to the ground, Kim made her way to where Dragon was. She was half way there, when she heard Rocky cry out.

"KIM, LOOK OUT!"

She turned back only to see Archerina turn her blaster on her. Kim wasn't the only one that turned. Dragon had turned also at Rocky's shout and could only watch as Archerina fired a shot at Kim.

"**NO!"**

Kim, who panicked at seeing the blast coming towards her, knew she wouldn't be able to dodge it in time. So she did the only thing she could, she crossed her hands in an x and brought them up in front of her face, hoping to ward off some power off the blast. The others could only watch in horror as Archerina's blast connected head on.

"So sad," Archerina cooed. Kicking Gasket away from him, Dragon fired a full powered blast which landed Gasket feet away unmoving. He turned to Archerina.

"**You're going to pay for that you bitch!" **He snarled. He took a step forward but stopped.

"It can't be," Archerina gasped. The dust from her blast at Kim cleared. Standing there was Kim and she was surrounded by a pink glow.

"Whoa," Adam said. The others looked at each other before they rushed over to Kim. Dragon was already making his way towards her and reached her before they did.

"**Are you ok?"**

"Yeah," Kim turned to him. "I'm fine."

"How is that possible?" Archerina shrieked.

"Anything is possible," Kim said, "Especially for a power ranger."

"**You made a mistake coming after us,"** Dragon said. **"And I told you that you would pay." **

"You rangers are nothing," Archerina said. "And it would be a pleasure to take you down."

"Bring it," Rocky said. "Let's do this guys; IT"S MORPHIN TIME!"

"ZEO RANGER ONE: PINK!"

"ZEO RANGER TWO: YELLOW!"

"ZEO RANGER THREE: BLUE!"

"ZEO RANGER FOUR: GREEN!"

"GOLD RANGER POWER!"

The ZEO rangers stood in front of the others, with Kim standing side by side with Dragon. Gasket had regained himself and was now standing next to Archerina. Kim looked up at Dragon. "Don't even think about sending me away, I'm helping you."

"**Fine," **he replied. **"But if you get hurt…"**

"I won't," she said. Not wasting any time, the two went after Gasket while the rangers took on Archerina. Gasket was shocked with the ferocity with which the two attacked and had a hard time landing any blows on either of them. Pushed back by a kick from Kim, he raised his hands and summoned his cogs. He directed them to others. Within seconds, Trini and the rest had their hands full fighting off the cogs. Seeing it, Kim left Dragon's side to help her friends. She landed next to Aisha and the two girls worked together like they did before. Trini joined them, while Billy and Zack paired off. Within minutes, they got rid of the cogs.

"Man," Zack said. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss putties."

"Same here," Trini said. "They were a lot easier to fight."

"I heard that," Aisha added. "Do we help them?"

"I—

"GUYS, LOOK OUT!" Rocky shouted at them. They turned to see both Gasket and Archerina firing blasts at them.

"Aw hell," Zack said. Aisha was the closest but she was pushed out of the way by Kim who caught the blast instead. It sent her back into a building where she fell unconscious when she hit the ground.

"KIMBERLY!" everyone shouted. Jason and the others, including Dragon, forgot about Archerina and Gasket and went over to check on the others and Kim. Archerina laughed as did Gasket.

"You rangers are no match for us," Gasket laughed. They ignored him as they helped the others up.

"Kimberly," Aisha groaned.

"She's unconscious," Tanya cried as she had gotten to Kim first. She turned Kim over and placed her head in her lap. Dragon stood there watching everything. Deep inside, Brennan let out a screech of rage when he heard his mate cry out in pain. That rage built until it took over Tommy and empowered Dragon. The power rolled off of him in waves, sending electricity through the air. Feeling the shift in air, the others looked up at him. They were shocked when they saw that he was surrounded by an aura of a deep green color. The sword in his hand pulsed before it too gave off the same green aura. Dragon turned back to Archerina and Gasket. He said nothing as he raised his sword and moved towards them. The rangers watched on in shock as he attacked, moving so fast he was a blur. Mere seconds later, both Gasket and Archerina was blown back. When they smoke cleared, the two had sparks flying off of them, while struggling to their feet.

"This is not over ranger," Gasket said. "We will be back and we will defeat you."

"At least I got that pink brat," Archerina sneered. Her answering reply was blast in their direction which they missed as they disappeared. Dragon growled his displeasure. Needing to release his anger, he once again started to destroy everything in his path.

"We have to do something," Zack said as they watched Dragon.

"We need to get Kim conscious," Trini said. "She's the only one to stop him." No sooner had the words left her mouth when Kim let out a groan.

"Kim?" Jason called. "Come on sis, open your eyes for me."

"Oh man," she moaned. She opened her eyes to see everyone looking at her. "What happened?"

"You tried to protect me," Aisha said. "Thank you."

"You're my sister," Kim said. "No thanks needed." She grabbed Rocky's hand and let him help her up. "Where's—

"Over there," Adam said. Kim looked to where he was pointing and saw Tommy standing, everything flying around him. She shifted on her feet before taking a step forward. Automatically, Jason reached out a hand to stop her.

"No Jase," she cut him off before he spoke. "We all know I'm the only one that will get through to him."

"I know," he sighed. "Just…just be careful."

"He won't hurt me," Kim said before she took off towards the man she loved. The others could only stand and watch. When she was a few feet away, she closed her eyes and focused on her connection with Shalimar. Calling the bird to her, she sent a mental call to Tommy. She watched as Dragon turned towards her. He said nothing; he just stood there watching her. Taking a breath, Kim walked up to him. When she was in front of him, she stopped.

"It's over," she whispered to him. "I'm safe and I'm fine."

"**I lost you."**

"You never did," Kim said. "And you never will."

"**It hurts."**

"I know," she sighed. "But I need you now. Please, stop this. Let go of this anger."

"**They deserve to pay."**

"The ones that were responsible have already paid," she replied. "Michael is dead and Gasket took a huge blow. They paid; you made sure of that." She looked past the helmet and directly into his eyes. She knew that he was still angry and she need to get through to him. "I love you. I always have and I always will; I need you back." She raised her hands and unclipped his helmet. His jaw was clenched and his eyes flashed green periodically. She cupped his cheek.

"**I have so much anger in me for what happened," **he whispered. **"I don't know if I can let it go."**

"You can," she whispered back. "Because I believe it and I believe in you. Please come back to me Tommy." She rose up on her tiptoes and captured his lips in a kiss. Immediately his arms encircled her, his grip tight and unrelenting; but as the kiss prolonged, his grip became slack and the kiss, which had turned harsh when he had took control, became soft and loving. In that instant, Kim knew that she had Tommy back. She pulled back from the kiss, but not his embrace, and looked into his eyes. No longer did they hold the cold, unforgiving look of the Dragon in them, but the warmth and love of Tommy. She looked down and was happy to see that he was once again enclosed in his red ZEO suit.

"Welcome back Handsome," Kim smiled.

"It's good to be back Beautiful," he spoke softly. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Deal," she giggled before he captured her lips once more. They were interrupted by the others' approach.

"Nothing like going evil to engage in some heavy make out," Rocky laughed. He was slapped over the head by his girlfriend. "Damnit 'Sha."

"You deserved it," Aisha rolled her eyes. "So, is our fearless leader over here himself again?"

"I'm me 'Sha," Tommy smiled, his arm going around Kim's waist as she shifted to his side.

"Thank God for that," Zack said.

"No," Jason said. "Thank Kim." Everyone had a good laugh at that.

"So…" Tommy started as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Just how much damage did I do this time?"

"Let's just say it's a good thing Angel Grove has plans for things like these," Trini said with a smile.

"Nothing like good Monster's Insurance," Zack laughed, as did the others.

"And no," Jason said. "No one was hurt."

"I think we should get out of here before the cops get here," Kat said.

"Good idea," Tommy said.

"Speaking of cops," Kim started.

"What is it?" Tommy asked.

"Your dad," Kim said. "He knows."

"Knows what?"

"That we're the power rangers," Billy answered.

"WHAT?" Tommy was shocked. "But how did he find out?"

"Uhm…." Kim avoided his eyes.

"Kim?" Tommy asked when he saw what she was doing.

"We didn't have a choice," Kim said. "It was announced over the scanner that you were attacking downtown and I kinda whispered your name when I heard it. Unfortunately, dad was standing near me and heard."

"After that," Zack said. "It wasn't hard to put two and two together."

"We couldn't deny it when he asked," Rocky said.

Tommy sighed. "So what do we do now?"

"We're a team," Tanya said.

"And like a team," Kat continued. "We're going to face this together."

Tommy looked around at his friends. "Alright, let's do this. First stop, Zordon." They all nodded and within minutes, multicolored beams disappeared into the sky. Each one hoping that their mentor would understand the revealing of their identities.

_(Part 2—Oliver Barbeque Bash...In more ways than one__)_

It's been three days since everything with Michael and Dragon. After saving Tommy, the rangers had made their way back to the CC and had spoken to Zordon. He had allayed their fears when he told them that the circumstance was such that they had no choice but to tell the truth, and he had no blame to bestow on them. The day after, Kim had sat down the AGPD to sort out the details of her kidnapping and Michael's death. No charges were brought against her and Michael's body was sent back to Florida to be buried. Later that day, the ten of them sat down with James and Melissa and had told them everything. They were shocked when Melissa wasn't truly shocked only resigned. When prompted, she admitted that she had suspected it at first but had dismissed the idea. Both had promised to never tell anyone, especially the other parents. Deciding that everyone, especially Kim and Tommy, needed to unwind and relax after everything that happened, Melissa proposed a barbeque. And now, two days later, everything was already set up and all it needed was a few things to be barbequed, which Tommy and James were going to take care of. The gang had decided to stay over at the Oliver's, so as it were, the showers were in full use when everyone got up. Melissa got the girls to help move the food from the kitchen to the backyard, while the boys set up the tables. Two hours later, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Aisha called out. She moved through the front room and went to the door. She opened it to see her parents and the Hillards standing there. "Hey mom, dad, Mr. and Mrs. Hillard. Come on in."

"Hi sweetie," Nancy Campbell answered as she gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Aisha," Penelope Hillard, Kat's mom greeted.

"Everyone's in the back," Aisha said as she led them to the back. Seconds later, the bell rang again. "I'll be back." Once more, Aisha made her way to the front door. Standing there was Adam and Rocky's parents.

"Hola mi niña," Carlotta, Rocky's mom, said when she saw her.

"Hola mami Carlotta," Aisha replied. She smiled when the woman pulled her into a hug.

"Where is everyone?" Juan asked as he too hugged her.

"In the back," Aisha replied. "Hi Marlon, hi Soo Yung."

"Hello sweetie," Soo Yung replied. Aisha moved so they can pass and was about to close the door when she heard a voice shouting.

"Hold on!" She looked back and saw Zack's parents and Jason's dad coming up the walk.

"Hey Aisha," Jason's dad Preston said when he got close.

"Hey Mr. Scott," Aisha replied. She opened the door wider for them to come in. "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Taylor."

"Hi dear," Jill and Matthew Taylor answered as one. Aisha closed the door and the four of them made their way to the back yard. The adults found the other parents and Aisha moved to her friends.

"Hey Tri," she called out. "Are your parents coming?" Melissa passed by just in time to hear the question.

"No," Trini replied. "My dad got a call early yesterday morning saying his mother was sick, so he and my mom decided to fly out."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Melissa said. "I hope your grandmother is alright."

"Me too," Trini replied.

"My dad won't be here either," Billy said. "He had to leave last night for a conference. It was a last minute thing. He won't be back until Tuesday."

Melissa moved from the teens and went to where James and Preston were standing. "Hey Preston, where's Alicia?"

"She's going to be late," Preston replied. "Said there was something she had to get."

"Aright," Melissa smiled. Soon after, the barbeque was underway. The guys started a game of touch football, while the girls played volleyball. The parents were scattered around talking with each other. Half an hour later, they heard Alicia calling out;

"Where is everyone?"

"Out here 'Lish," James yelled. Alicia Scott came through the door with a smile, but she wasn't alone. Kim and the others had just come back from a game, when they froze. With his back to the door, James saw the shocked look on the kids faces. Confused, he turned around only to stop when he saw what they were looking at. Shocked, he looked at the woman standing next to Alicia. His eyes hardened and his words confused everyone, except the kids. "You better have a good reason for being here."

The woman never had the chance to answer as Melissa came back from collecting the mail. She paused as she saw the looks of shock on the kids face, the anger on her husband and the confusion on everyone else. She saw a woman standing with Alicia, but couldn't recognize her from the back. Bypassing them, she walked over to her husband. "James, what is it?" He said nothing; all he did was motion her to look back. When she did, the mail fell from her hands.

"Hello Melissa," the woman spoke.

"Caroline," Melissa said. Her eyes immediately harden as she remembered what happened to Kim and Caroline's hands in it. "What the fuck is she doing here?" everyone, even Tommy and James, were shocked by her words. Tommy, especially has he had never heard his mom swear.

"Melissa?" Alicia called. "James, what's going on? Why are you reacting this way?" They both ignored her as they continued to stare at Caroline. Alicia looked around and realized that all the kids, except for Kim, were looking at Caroline the same way.

"I want you gone Caroline," Melissa spoke. "I want you out of my house."

"Now wait a minute," Alicia said. "She's my friend and I would like to know why you don't want her here? Especially when her daughter is dating your son."

"She's not my mother," Kim's quiet declaration shocked everyone, except her friends and the Oliver's, and made Caroline flinch.

"How could you say something like that Kimberly?" Alicia asked, starting to get upset with the way everyone was reacting to Caroline.

"Because it's true," Kim replied. "Mothers don't do to their daughters what she did to me."

"What did she do to you?" Preston asked.

"Why don't you ask her?" James said.

Caroline took a step forward. "Kimberly—

"Stay away from her," Melissa said, her voice filled with venom. "You've hurt her enough."

"Would someone tell the rest of us that's in the dark what's going on?" Jill Taylor spoke up.

"I for one would like to know why Kim said that Caroline wasn't her mother," Nancy said.

"Melissa," Alicia said. "How did Caroline hurt Kim?"

"She left me," Kim spoke, anger coloring her tone. "When I needed her most, she abandoned me. Do you know what it was like having your own mother turn her back on you?"

"Kimberly—

"I needed you," Kim spoke over her. "I needed you and you left me. Why?"

"I'm sorry," Caroline said, unfortunately, this angered Melissa even more.

"YOU'RE SORRY!" She yelled. "Sorry can't help her. My God, do you know what you did? You left her Caroline. Because of what _you _did, Kim was broken when she came home. She was broken long before she came home. Did you know she broke up with Tommy because of it?"

"No," by now tears had filled Caroline's eyes and were running down her cheeks.

"Did you know that she hadn't spoken for about two months after it happened?" Melissa asked. "That because of you, she was too terrified to come home?"

"No—

"You don't know do you?" Melissa cut her off. "Because you were too selfish, you couldn't see that your daughter needed you. She needed your help, your support, and your love but instead you threw her away because you couldn't deal with it. We almost lost her because of you."

"I'M SORRY, OK?" Caroline yelled. "I'M SORRY I LEFT HER, I'M SORRY I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH IT, BUT I COULDN'T…I just couldn't." The last part was spoken softly.

"Carrie," Alicia said. "What happened to Kim that you couldn't deal with it?"

"I was raped," Kim said, tears in her eyes.

"What?" the parents spoke as one.

"That's why she left Florida," Jason said.

"You knew?" Alicia asked her son.

"We all do," Rocky answered her.

Alicia turned back to her best friend. "Why Carrie? Why would you abandon your daughter when she needed you the most?"

"Because…because I couldn't deal with it again," Caroline said. "I couldn't go through it again."

"Again?" Jill said. "What do you mean by that?"

"When I was in college," Caroline wrapped her arms around her middle as she started speaking. She paused a bit and looked at her daughter. She swallowed before she started again. "When I was in college, I was attacked."

"What?" this time, everyone was shocked, even Alicia as this was first time she was hearing it.

"We had just finished this major production so my friends had decided to celebrate with a party," Caroline continued. "They convinced me to go, so I did. After being there for about half an hour, I left. I was walking back to the dorm when I was grabbed from behind. I fought the guy as best as I could, but it was no use. I thought I was going to die. He was just about to rape me, but a fellow student was walking by and heard my pleas for the guy to not do it. He fought the guy off of me and helped me back to the dorm. I begged him not to tell anyone about it. And he didn't. He stayed with me until my roommates got home."

"Oh God, Carrie," Alicia said. "Why didn't you ever tell anyone?"

"I felt so weak and so powerless and sick with myself," She looked away for a second before looking back at her. "I never wanted to feel that way again so I blocked it from my mind. When I got the message from Ken, it brought the memory of that night back, and I couldn't handle it. So instead of being there for Kim, I pushed her away. All I could see was myself and it was too much to deal with. I figured…I figured if I pushed her away, the memory would go with it."

"So," Tommy spoke. "Kim was punished because you couldn't deal with it?"

"What changed?" James asked.

"I broke down and about a week or two ago, I told Pierre what happened," she said. "He was pissed at me and said he would never forgive me for what I did unless I made up with Kim."

"So basically," Melissa said. "You're not here for Kim. You're here because your marriage might be in trouble." She hoped that Caroline would deny, but when Caroline closed her eyes, she knew she wouldn't.

SMACK! Caroline's eyes flew opend and her hand flew to her face. She couldn't believe that Kim had just slapped her.

"How could you?" Kim spoke, her tears flowing down her cheeks. "You couldn't deal with it? You weren't raped. At least you had someone there with you…I had no one. And it's because of you. You abandoned me like I was nothing, all because you couldn't deal with it? Well what about me? I needed my mother to be there for me, to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be ok, to let me know I wasn't alone…that I didn't have to deal with it alone, but instead, you couldn't because it brought back a bad memory for you? You told me you couldn't deal with a tainted daughter. Do you know how much that hurt? I cried myself to sleep night after night, blaming myself for the rape and for the way you treated me. I thought I deserved it because I allowed myself to be raped. You did nothing to help me. And now, the only reason you're here is because you're afraid of losing your husband? WHAT THE FUCK DID I EVER DO TO YOU FOR YOU TO TREAT ME THAT WAY?"

"Kimberly!" Alicia was shocked at her words.

Kim ignored her. "I wanted to die, I felt like dying. I pushed away my friends and my boyfriend because of you."

"Kimberly," Caroline reached out a hand to touch her, but Kim stepped back. Hurt, she let her hand fall to her side.

"Don't touch me," Kim shook her head. "I am sorry for what happened in college, but in no way was it worse than what happened to me. I trusted you, and now…now I can't even look at you."

"I'm so sorry," Caroline said.

"Yeah well," Kim wiped her tears. "Your 'I'm sorry' can't help me." She turned to Tommy. "Can we go to your room…please?"

"Sure Beautiful," Tommy said. Before they left, Kim turned to Melissa.

"I'm sorry your barbeque was ruined mom," She ignored the flinch that Caroline gave.

"It doesn't matter sweetie," Melissa pulled her into a hug. "What matters is you, and if you need to leave, you can. Besides, it wasn't your fault." She kissed her forehead. "Go ahead."

"Thanks mom," Kim whispered. Tommy wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into the house, their friends following behind. As they reached the door, they stopped when they heard Caroline speak.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

Kim turned back to look at her. "I wish I could say yes, but I can't. What you did hurt far more than you realize and I need time to get over it. For now, stay away from me." And with that, she turned back and let Tommy lead her to his room. Caroline turned back to the others.

"Listen to me and listen good Caroline," Melissa said. "You hurt that girl far more than her rapist ever did, and I'll be damned if I allow you to hurt her again. Kim doesn't want to see you right now and frankly, neither do I. So why don't you do her a favor and just leave? Your being here is only hurting her and I won't allow that." Melissa brushed passed her to go to the house, and she got to the door, she stopped and looked back. "Oh and Caroline? Stay away from my family."

As the door closed behind Melissa, Caroline turned back only to find everyone staring at her. "I suppose all of you hate me too?"

"We don't hate you," Jill said. "Are we angry over the way you treated Kim? Yes. But we don't hate you."

"I can't believe you did that," Nancy said. "Your own daughter." Caroline nodded before she looked over at her best friend.

"Alicia?"

"Why didn't you ever tell me about what happened to you?"

"I was afraid," Caroline said. "It was a mistake keeping it from you…from everyone and it was a mistake to treat Kim the way I did."

"Damn right it was," James said.

"But I truly am sorry," Caroline said. "And I'm trying to make up for it. Please don't push me away."

"Now you know how Kim felt," James said, his words cutting through her.

"I am sorry for what happened to you Carrie," Alicia said. "And I'm sorry that you didn't trust me enough to tell me, but Kim's right. What you went through is nothing compared to what she went through. I thought we were friends and I never thought that you would abandon Kim when she needed you most, but I guess I was wrong."

"Alicia…"

"I think you should leave," Alicia said, her voice clogged with unshed tears. Caroline looked at everyone and saw that they felt the same. She wiped her tears and nodded. She knew that coming here would be tough, but she never expected it to turn out like it did.

"I wish I could go back and change how I acted," She said.

"But you can't," Carlotta spoke up. "And your daughter paid the price. Even now, it's one she's still paying for."

"Familia is everything," Juan. "And you broke your family…your daughter."

"I know," Caroline whispered. "And I regret it everyday and will continue to regret it for the rest of my life." She smiled a sad smile. "Goodbye." She turned and walked in the house. As she opened the front door, she stopped as she heard Kim's cries coming from the direction of the stairs;

"_How could she do that to me?" Kim cried. "Why would she hurt me like that? I needed her and she couldn't see past herself to be there for me? Why?"_

Caroline shook her head and closed the door behind her. Sitting in her car, Kim's words came back to her and it finally sunk in. Because of her own actions and her inability to see past her own wounds, she had destroyed her daughter. She rested her head on the steering wheel as her sobs broke free. She cried for her past, she cried for what happened to Kim and she cried for how she reacted when she found out. But mostly, she cried because she knew that no matter if Kim forgave her, she would never get her daughter back, and it was her own fault.

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**A/N 4: **so there you have it; Michael's dead and Caroline was confronted

**Prophet144: **I couldn't keep Michael alive. He needed to die simply because he knew that they were power rangers and he would've told. And if that had happened, their lives would've been over. Sorry.

**A/N 5: **if you guys liked this chapter I'm glad. This is the second to last chapter. Next chapter will be the last. So do what you always do and read and review.


	12. A Broken Crane Healed

**A/N: **here it is; the final chapter. I do hope you guys like it. It's mainly fluff with a hint of angst.

**Disclaimer: **nope sorry, they're still not mine.

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_Last time on HBC;_

"_I wish I could go back and change how I acted," She said._

"_But you can't," Carlotta spoke up. "And your daughter paid the price. Even now, it's one she's still paying for."_

"_Familia is everything," Juan. "And you broke your family…your daughter."_

"_I know," Caroline whispered. "And I regret it everyday and will continue to regret it for the rest of my life." She smiled a sad smile. "Goodbye." She turned and walked in the house. As she opened the front door, she stopped as she heard Kim's cries;_

"_How could she do that to me?" Kim cried. "Why would she hurt me like that? I needed her and she couldn't see past herself to be there for me? Why?"_

_Caroline shook her head and closed the door behind her. Sitting in her car, Kim's words came back to her and it finally sunk in. Because of her own actions and her inability to see past her own wounds, she had destroyed her daughter. She rested her head on the steering wheel as her sobs broke free. She cried for her past, she cried for what happened to Kim and she cried for how she reacted when she found out. But mostly, she cried because she knew that no matter if Kim forgave her, she would never get her daughter back, and it was her own fault. _

_(Now: Part 1—July 4__th__ Picnic and Talks)_

Two months have passed ever since Kim had the confrontation with her mother. After Caroline had left the barbeque, the other parents had sat down to talk with James and Melissa. When they were told most of what had happened and how Kim had felt, they realized that Kim was right in the way she reacted. Though they did feel bad for what had happened to Caroline, they still couldn't believe that she had deserted Kim just when she needed her most. For Alicia, her not knowing what had happened to Caroline had hurt a lot because she had thought they were best friends that kept no secrets from each other. After a long talk, the parents had decided that now, everything was up to Kim and they would respect whatever decision she made; whether it was to not have anything more to do with Caroline or if she decided to forgive her and have her as part of her life again. The days had turned into weeks which had turned into months, with no sign from Kim as to what she was going to do.

…

Kim groaned silently as she shifted in bed. She squeezed her closed eyes as the sunlight streamed through the window directly on her face. She let out a tiny moan and buried her face into Tommy's chest, which tightened around her waist in response. She valiantly tried to let the dream world recapture her, but she knew that it would not happen. Once she woke, it would be near impossible for her to fall back asleep. With a sigh, she finally opened her eyes. She blinked a few times to clear the sleep before letting out a yawn. She shifted her head to look at the clock, which read 8:30, before looking up into her boyfriend's sleeping face. A smile came over her face as she raised a hand to caress his cheek. She had no idea how long she watched him for, but was prompted to move when her body demanded use of the bathroom. Carefully, she extracted herself from Tommy's arms and moved from the bed. She went over to the window to pull the curtains even closer so that some of the sunlight into the room would be reduced. She then turned and made her way into Tommy's bathroom. Leaving the door slightly ajar, she went about her business. Twenty minutes, she stripped down and stepped into the shower. She grabbed her shampoo and started to wash her hair. She was going through a second time when she heard Tommy enter the bathroom.

"Morning Beautiful," he called out as he grabbed his toothbrush.

"Hey Handsome," Kim replied as she washed the shampoo from her hair. As she bathed, Kim listened to her boyfriend go through his morning routine and it struck her just how domestic they were acting. _'Is this what it'll be like when we're married?' _She had no doubt that they would get married; Tommy was the one for her and no one else. She knew in her heart that they belonged together, would even go so far as to say they were destined to be. She smiled at the thought of being Mrs. Tommy Oliver. _'Kimberly Oliver…I do like the sound of that.' _She was broken out of her musings by Tommy's voice;

"You ok in there Kim?"

"I'm fine," she smiled. "Just thinking." She rinsed her skin and her hair before turning the shower off. She pulled the curtain back and stuck her head out. "Hey, can you hand me the towel?"

"Why?" Tommy asked.

"Because you love me," Kim smiled. "And you can't live without me and you would do anything for me."

"Is that so?" he smiled.

"Yep," Kim laughed. "Now hand me my towel." He laughed as he grabbed the towel and passed it to her. She ducked back behind the curtain to wrap it around her before stepping out. Tommy ducked down for a kiss.

"Get out so I can take a shower," he smiled at her as he lifted his head. Kim slapped him on his chest and as she walked past him, he gave her a teasing slap on her bottom before he pushed her out the door. Kim whirled around to say something but all she saw was his smile before he closed the door.

"I'm going to get you for that Tommy Oliver," she said through the door. His laugh was the answer she got. She shook her head, a tiny smile playing on her lips as she walked to the dresser. She pulled out a pink tank top, which had the words _"The white ranger is my kind of guy," _in white. Then she pulled a blue pair of three-quarter jeans. She laid them on the bed before she turned back to the dresser to grab her underwear. After rubbing cream on her skin, she got dressed and sat on the bed with her hair brush in one hand and the towel in the other. She used the towel to get most of the remaining water from her hair before she applied a bit of moisturizer before brushing it. The end result was that her hair was shiny, with a little bounce in it. She had just set her brush down when the bathroom door opened and Tommy walked out. Kim couldn't help but stare. The only thing he was wearing was the towel wrapped around his waist. His chest glistened as it was still wet. His dark, mahogany colored locks were wet also and they were starting to curl as they always did when he showered. All in all, he looked good enough to eat. She knew she was probably drooling, but when your boyfriend looked that good wet, it was practically demanded that you do drool. _'I'd like to follow those water drops with my tongue.´_ the thought came out of no where and she blushed. She turned her head, to avoid being caught. But as she did, another thought popped up, _'He's my boyfriend for crying out loud! So what if I get caught checking him out…he does it to me all the time.' _She turned back to him and saw that he was now wearing a pair of boxers and was using the towel to dry his hair, which caused even more water to run down his chest. Her blush came back full on. Tommy dropped the towel to around his shoulders and looked at Kim, only to see her looking at him; her eyes roaming over his body. He waited until she met his eyes before he smirked.

"See something you like Kim?" the blush that came over her face was enough to make him smile.

"I…uh…I think I'll go see what mom is doing," she stuttered before bolting off the bed and out the door, Tommy's laughter following her. She didn't stop until she reached the kitchen. Melissa looked up in alarm.

"You ok, sweetie?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm fine," Kim waved her words away. After she straightened and caught her breath, Kim stepped more fully into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Well," Melissa said. "This Saturday is July 4th and every year we have the Independence Day Picnic."

"Oh yeah," Kim said. "Wow, I can't believe it's that time already. Who all is going?"

"Everyone," Melissa said. "We decided to have it at the park this year. There's more room, and we figured you guys will want to be near the lake in case you get the urge to go swimming. And the park will be a good spot to see the fireworks."

"Sounds like a good idea," Kim nodded. "Need any help with anything?"

"No," Melissa shook her head. "I've already prep most of the stuff and besides, Alicia and the other moms are making stuff as well."

"Well I still want to help," Kim said. "What about games and stuff? And setting up the tables and whatnots? Kinda like we had at the barbeque a few months back? We can do that again."

"That's true," Melissa said. "After all, you guys will be the ones playing the games."

"Ok," Kim smiled. "I'll go find the others and run it by them. But first, I have to get Tommy."

"Get Tommy for what?" said guy asked as he entered the kitchen.

"I was just going to come call you," Kim said. "Since the moms have everything done in terms of food and whatnots, I thought we'd find the guys to see if they wanted to set up games like we did at the barbeque."

"Sounds good," Tommy shrugged.

"Alright then you two," Melissa said. "Go find your friends."

"Alright mom," Tommy said. "See you later."

"Bye guys," Melissa said as they turned to go out the kitchen. Tommy wrapped his arms around Kim as they made their way out the house. They closed the door behind them and made their way to his jeep. As he started it, Tommy turned to look at Kim. He looked over her appearance and when he glanced at her shirt, he laughed.

"What?" Kim asked.

"Nothing," he said a smile still on his face. "Just love your shirt."

She looked down and laughed. "Well, I happen to agree with it."

"I know that," he smiled as he back out his driveway. "I mean, the look on your face in the bedroom earlier told me."

"About that," Kim flushed.

"It's ok Kim," Tommy reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'm glad that you're comfortable enough to be in the same room when I'm half-naked or vice versa. I'm glad you trust me that much."

"It's because I love you," Kim smiled. "And because I know that you would never do anything unless it was what I want. Sometimes…" she trailed off as she shook her head.

"Sometimes what?" he asked as he glanced over at her.

"It's just," she sighed. "Sometimes I wonder how you're dealing with all this, you know? Most guys would not be happy with having to wait to have sex and I guess…I guess sometimes I wonder how you could be."

"Kim," he spoke, his voice serious. "I'm not with you because of sex. I'd be lying if I said that a part of me don't think about it, but that's because I'm male and human and you're my girlfriend. You've been through something that no woman should go through and you have every right to be skittish when it comes to that. I don't mind waiting because I love you and I want what's best for you. Whenever you're ready, then I'll be to. You were raped Kim, and things like that changes you. I can't be upset with you if you don't want sex, and it's not your fault either. I love you Kim, and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes _you _to be comfortable with the idea of even going there." He brought her hand to his lips and he kissed it. "I'm willing to wait because I know that it won't happen until you want it to and it will be worth it…because you're worth it. And I don't mean to sound cocky or like a jerk or anything, but…I already had you once. We gave our virginities to each other and I don't regret that, nor will I ever forget it. And for now, that's enough for me."

"How did I ever get so lucky to have you?" Kim whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "I love you…so much."

"I'm the lucky one," he kissed her hand again. "And I love you too."

"I guess I was being silly, huh?" she giggled.

"You were being you," he flashed a smile in her direction. "And that's one of the things I love about you."

"Thank you," she said softly. She turned back around. "We're here." Tommy pulled into the parking lot of the youth center and the two made their way inside. They found their friends and told them about their idea. Not surprisingly, the others agreed and the eleven friends left to prepare for Saturday.

…

Bright and early, the Oliver's woke up to start their day. They had to get everything packed and ready for their picnic at the park. While Melissa and James were gathering everything, Tommy and Kim took turns in the shower. When the two teens came downstairs, their parents had them move everything to the cars while they used the shower themselves. Half an hour later, at 10:30, the Oliver's were heading to the park. The same thing happened in each of the other friends' household. Ten minutes after Tommy, Kim and his parents arrived at the park, the Scotts showed up.

"Hey Alicia," Melissa called out when they were in hearing range.

"Hey guys," Alicia smiled. She watched as her son hurried over to where Kim and Tommy were. She watched as Jason hugged Kim and slapped Tommy on his shoulder. The three of them were soon laughing and playfully fighting each other. "Sometimes I wonder if those three were separated at birth."

"Could be," James laughed. "But Tommy might take offense to that as he wouldn't have been able to be with Kim."

"That's true," Melissa smiled. "The three of them are very close."

"Jason has been like Kim's big brother from the day they met," Alicia said. "He was always telling people that she was his little sister and no one was to mess with her. It was funny when people would ask me how my daughter was doing. I used to be confused until I realized they were talking about Kim."

"Oh I remember that," Preston smiled. "You were so confused. When I heard, the only thing I could say was, '_You never told me we had another child.'" _

"Did that really happen?" James laughed.

"Yes!" Alicia exclaimed. "It did happen, but it was ok." The four adults kept talking while the teens played. Soon after they heard Kim squeal and looked up to see her on Jason's back as he gave her a piggy back ride, while Tommy looked on laughing. The adults laughed as they watched Jason spin around in a circle, Kim squealing the entire time. About fifteen minutes, the rest of the group arrived. The other teens moved to where Tommy, Kim and Jason were, while their parents joined Melissa and the others.

"Hey guys," Rocky called out as he jogged over.

"Hey Rocky," Kim smiled. "Hi guys."

"Hey," the others replied. "So what are we doing?" Aisha asked.

"I don't know," Kim shrugged. "We're just fooling around until we get bored and decided to actually find something to do."

"Sounds like fun," Kat smiled.

"Oh it is," Tommy nodded his head. The others laughed. The group of friends decided to sit and talk for awhile. Pretty soon though, the guys, except for Billy, decided to have a race to prove who was faster. Billy sat with the girls as they watched the guys. Kim got up to count them off while Tanya made her way to the other to say who would be first.

"Ready guys?"

"Do it sis," Jason smiled.

"Ready…set…GO!" she jumped out of the way as they shot past her. At her end, Tanya moved a bit so they wouldn't run her over. She laughed as she saw Rocky try to trip Adam only to end up stumbling himself; Zack grabbed onto Jason's shirt, while Jason grabbed Tommy's. Adam dodged Rocky's attempted grab and sped past the other three. He got next to Tommy and was about to pass him, when Tommy's hand shot out to grab his shirt. By this time, Rocky had caught up, but was grabbed by Adam. In the background, the girls cheering could be heard as could their parents' laughter. The five boys pulled on each other until they all over shot Tanya, who had moved out of the way. She laughed as she looked at them.

"Sorry to say guys," She smiled. "But there is no winner. All of you crossed at the same time." The guys groaned and moved to untangle themselves as they had fallen down in a heap. They helped each other up and jogged back to where the girls and Billy was sitting.

"You guys were unbelievable," Aisha laughed as they got close.

"No," Kim smiled. "They were a bunch of idiots." The other girls laughed, as did Billy. Jason shook his head and looked at Kim.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kim asked.

"Run," he said. That was the only warning she got before he came after her. Letting out a squeal of laughter, Kim shot to her feet and started running. She looked over her shoulder to see Jason coming after her and the others looking on laughing.

"Jason Lee Scott," She yelled. "You leave me alone!"

"Not a chance Kim," Jason yelled just before he caught up to her. He grabbed her around her waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"JASON LEE YOU PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!" Kim yelled between laughs as she pounded his back.

"Nope," Jason shook his head. "I don't think I will." With her secured over his shoulder, he walked back to their friends. When he got close, he called out to Tommy. "Hey bro, I have something of yours."

"I don't think so," Tommy smiled. "I mean, I don't recognize it."

Kim lifted her head from behind Jason's back to glare at her boyfriend. "Tommy Oliver you better be joking and you better get me from Jason…or at least get him to put me down."

"Don't worry Kim," Jason smirked. "I'll just pass you to Tommy."

"You're up to something," Kim asked. "You better not do anything Jason Lee and that smirk better be off your face."

"How did she know that?" Soo Yung asked.

"She knows him well," Alicia smiled. "Sometimes even better than I do."

"Why would you say that Kim?" he smiled.

"Because I know you," Kim said. "Just like I know you're smiling right now. Put me down Jase."

"OK," he said as he swung her around to be cradled bridal style in his arms.

"Thank you," Kim smiled. She lost it when she felt him shift her higher in his arms and the air. She was about to ask when he spoke.

"Tommy, catch!" She had barely opened her mouth to yell at him when she felt herself flying through the air. She didn't scream, as she knew that Tommy would catch her, but she vowed to get her revenge. True to her thoughts, mere seconds later, she felt Tommy's arms wrap around her as he snatched her from the air.

"You ok Beautiful?" Tommy whispered to her. She nodded her head and looked up at him.

"I'm fine," she smiled.

"How come you didn't scream?" Zack asked.

"Because I knew that Tommy would catch me," Kim looked up at her boyfriend.

"Always," Tommy smiled down at her.

"Aww," Jason pretend swooned. "That's so sweet." He started laughing but soon stopped when Kim moved from Tommy's arms to stand and glared at him.

"You think that's funny don't you?" she hissed. She walked over to him and he almost took a step back. "I will make you regret that." Jason paled as he heard that.

"Ki-Kim…sis," he stuttered.

"Mark my words," Kim smiled a smile so evil and full of deviousness, that Jason couldn't help but to shudder, while the others cringed. "You will pay, and it will be when you least expect it." he swallowed, hard. She suddenly smiled and reached out to tap his shoulder…he flinched.

"You're, uh, you're not going to do anything drastic, are you?" he asked.

"Don't worry big brother." He couldn't help but to worry. The others laughed at the look on his face. Up at the table with the parents, Alicia turned to Melissa.

"Hey Mel?"

"Yeah?"

"Something's been bugging me," Alicia said. "When you had the barbeque a few months back, you said that Kim didn't speak and that she was very skittish when she first got here. Obviously something changed. What was it?"

Melissa let out a chuckle. "Tommy."

"Huh?" Preston looked at her.

"He forced her to spar with him," Melissa said.

"I never pegged Tommy to ever force something on Kim," Nancy said.

"Oh he doesn't," Melissa said. "Not usually, well actually, hardly at all. But I think if he hadn't done that, then Kim wouldn't be how she is now. So for that, I'm thankful, though that day I wasn't."

"What happened?" Lei, Trini's mom, asked.

"Well," Melissa said. "Tommy and Jason were actually supposed to spar. James and I had just gotten to the youth center. We were on our way out of town for a conference and we wanted to talk with Kim and Tommy. When we got there, Tommy was just coming out of the locker room and Kim was with Jason on the mats…

_Flashback_

_Melissa smiled as she saw her son's friends sitting at a table. She waved Tommy over as she spotted him coming from the locker rooms._

"_Hey mom, dad," Tommy said. "What's up?"_

"_We just wanted to see you guys before we leave," James said._

"_Where's Kim at?" Melissa asked. _

"_She's on the mats with Jason," Tommy pointed to where the two were. He watched as Jason lifted Kim's hands into fists. He saw he shake her head as she took a barely imperceptible half a step back. _

"_What is he doing?" Melissa asked._

"_He's trying to get her comfortable enough to spar," Tommy said. "The only problem is that Kim is still somewhat afraid of anybody advancing on her." He looked at them, trying figure out hoe to help his girlfriend when an idea came to him. He knew that the result of what he was about to do could cause one of two reactions; either she will fight back or it will push her over the edge. He hoped it would be the former. Taking a breath, he whispered, "Forgive me Kim."_

"_What was that Tommy?" James asked, but he got no reply as his son moved to where Kim and Jason were. _

"_Hey guys," Tommy said._

"_Hey Tommy," Jason looked over at him. Tommy shifted his eyes to Kim and saw the smile of relief in her eyes as well as on her face. "I'm trying to get her to spar with me, but it's not going so well. She's still afraid."_

"_I'll take over," Tommy said. When he saw the look on Jason's face he continued. "Trust me."_

"_Alright," Jason nodded. He walked off, leaving the two on the mat. Tommy turned to Kim._

"_Spar with me," he said. Kim shook her head and signed at him, _'I can't.'

"_Why not?" he asked. She looked away before bringing her gaze back to him. _'I'm too terrified.'

"_Do you trust me?" he asked her. She gave him a confused look as she nodded. Tommy took a deep breath. "Get into position….please." _

_Kim sighed as she did as she was told. Tommy took a step towards her, his fist raised. Kim's eyes went wide as she took a step back. When Tommy swung at her, she brought up her hands to cover her face. The blow never connected. He sighed as he dropped his hand and walked over to Kim._

"_You need to get over this," he said as he grabbed her shoulders. "I know you, and I know that you could've blocked that blow…or are you that soft?" Kim looked up at him in shock. "Don't look at me like that. Only someone soft would not be able to block that."_

_She shook her head as she wondered why he was saying that. Tommy took a breath and released it. What he was about to do next, he needed strength for it. He walked around Kim, a slight sneer on his face. "Oh come on. Are you really going to stand there or run away?" he pushed her slightly on her back, sending her to stumble forward._

_She regained her footing and whirled around at him. __**Why are you doing this? **__Her eyes asked. He ignored it, and continued talking. "Are you a coward? Maybe you're weak. You should be able to fight me off. You used to do it. Why don't you pretend I'm Michael?"_

_Kim's eyes widen with tears and slight pain as she heard his words. She couldn't believe Tommy was saying those things to her. Tommy, for his part, took anther step forward and let out a kick, sweeping Kim's legs from under her. "Poor Kimberly; can't even stop me, can you?" he moved to kick her, but she rolled out of the way and onto her feet. "You're weak. You should be able to defend yourself," he taunted._

_**Stop this! Why are you hurting me like this?**_

"_Fight back Kim," Tommy said as he swung his hand at her. "I know you can so do it." He ducked behind her and grabbed her hands. Up with the others, Melissa and James watched in shock and growing anger at Tommy._

"_What is he doing?" she asked._

"_He's trying to get Kim to fight him," Jason said._

"_After everything she's been through," James spoke. "He's doing this to her?"_

"_It's the only way to help her," Trini said. "Kim needs to feel comfortable in her own skin."_

"_I couldn't do it," Jason spoke. "Because the way it needs to be done, I didn't have the strength to do that."_

"_What needs to be done?" Melissa asked. _

"_Tommy is forcing Kim to remember the night she was attacked," Jason said. "He needs her to move from the pain and go into the anger."_

"_He's doing what?" Both Melissa and James were outraged. They took a step only to be stopped by Rocky._

"_I know you're upset," he said. "But if you go over there, he will never get it done. This is the only way Kim can actually start to get over what happen. No one knows her better than Tommy; trust him to know what he's doing." Melissa sighed as she looked back at them. She knew they were right, but she didn't like it._

_Tommy circled Kim once more. "Remember that night Kim? When he came after you? You could have fought back, but you didn't. You trusted him and he betrayed that trust, he hurt you."_

_**Shut up Tommy. I don't want to think about that.**_

"_And why not?" he asked as he stood in front of her. "How do you feel about it? Knowing that someone you trusted did something like that; that you couldn't stop him. I bet that makes you angry. Did it hurt? Does it still hurt? It can't though, right? Do you still think of him? Of what he took?" With each question, he shoved her; not too hard but enough to make her stumble. "Come on Kim, I know you can fight back. So why don't you? Or maybe you liked it?"_

_**How dare you say that? Do you know the hell I went through after that happened? **__Her eyes flashed. Inside, Tommy felt a spark of triumph. _

"_I don't think you did," he smiled. "I think you're weak. You couldn't fight Zedd and you couldn't fight Michael…you can't even fight me." _

_Inside, Kim felt a bubble of anger. Each word from Tommy made the anger grow. __**You're supposed to be on my side. How can you say those things to me?**_

"_It's my mouth," he shrugged. "I say what I want. What are you going to do about it?" he pushed her._

_**Don't touch me.**_

"_Why not?" he taunted as he pushed her again. "Are you going to fight back? Or are you going to cower away?" _

_**I said, don't touch me.**_

"_Pretty little Kimberly," he smiled. "Can't even defend herself." that was the last straw. She took a step forward and pushed him back._

_**Just shut up. I'm not weak, and I can fight back.**_

"_Prove it," he smiled. "Fight me. Show me just what you can do." He started taking hits at her. "Come on Kim, fight me." _

_**Stop it.**_

"_No." _

_**Stop.**_

_Tommy shook his head as he continued hitting her._

_**STOP! Just stop. **_'Why won't he stop? I asked him to. I trusted him and he didn't stop.' _Tommy came up again. __**Leave me alone.**_

_He didn't do that as he went to punch her. _

_**I said STOP! **__Letting her anger fill, Kim shoved Tommy as hard as she could. She didn't even wait for him to regain his footing, she attacked him. __**I told you to stop, I told you to let me go, but you didn't. I trusted you. **_

_Looking into her eyes, Tommy could see the anger inside and knew that she had directed her thoughts to Michael. _'Good.' _He thought. He ducked her punches and grabbed her hand. Kim twisted her body until his grip was slack enough to break it._

"_That's it Kim" Tommy said as she came at him. "Fight me. Fight him. Don't give him any more control over you; break it." the two went at it in a flurry of punches and kicks. Melissa and James watched in shock as Kim fought back and kept up with Tommy._

"_Oh my God," Melissa gasped. Kim swept Tommy's legs out from under him, but he rolled to avoid her kick. He got to his feet and grabbed her arms from behind. She jerked her head back and when she connected with his chin, she spun out of his grasp. He fell into his fighting stance, as did she and the two went at it again. _

"_I didn't think anyone could keep up with Tommy," James said. "Not counting you, Jason."_

"_She can," Jason smiled. He was very proud of that fact. The other occupants of the youth center had taken notice of the spar between Kim and Tommy and many had stop to watch. Jason could see that both were sweating and that they were getting tired. He saw the tears in Kim's eyes and knew she was close to breaking down. He was right. Seconds later, Kim threw a punch at Tommy, only to have him catch her hand. Tommy used her hand to pull her to him and she collapsed on his chest in tears. Their friends and Tommy's parents made their way over to them. They got close just in time to see Tommy fall to the mats, cradling Kim in his arms. Her pain-filled cries muffled by Tommy's chest._

_**How could he do that to me?**__ She raised her head to look at Tommy. __**I trusted him.**_

"_I know Beautiful," Tommy said softly. "And I'm sorry."_

_**For what?**_

"_For doing what I just did," Tommy said. "For pushing you."_

_**It's ok. **__She smiled at him. __**I understand what you were doing.**_

_He reached down to wipe her tears._

"_Tommy?" Melissa said. "Is she ok?" Kim looked up at her and nodded. "Ok." Melissa turned to her son. "Why did you do that?"_

"_She needed it mom," Tommy said. "It was the only way for her to start healing. She dealt with the pain; all she needed to do was deal with the anger. This is just the start of that."_

"_OK," Melissa smiled. "Don't scare me like that again."_

"_Alright," Tommy smiled._

_End Flashback_

"Wow," Jill said.

"I know," James replied. "I always knew Kim could fight, but seeing her and Tommy go at it…it was an eye opener."

"When I first realized what Tommy was going to do," Melissa spoke. "I was angry at him. I couldn't believe that he would willingly do that to Kim. But when Jason and the others explained why he needed to do it, I started to understand. That day was the first time Kim actually started to heal."

"All she was remembering from that night was the pain of her attack," James said. "But not the anger. By doing what he did, Tommy allowed her to finally realize that she did deserve to feel angry about it."

"Jason was right," Melissa said. "Tommy was the only one that could do it because he was the only one that had the strength to." They all looked over at their kids.

"They are such a close knit group," Penelope smiled. "I'm happy we moved to Angel Grove. I've never seen Katherine this happy."

"Mel," Alicia spoke softly. "What do you think Kim's going to do regarding Caroline?"

"Kim has one of the biggest hearts I know," Melissa sighed. "But then again, this is the first time she's been in a situation like this and to know that her mother was always there for her and the one time she really needed her…I'm not sure what Kim is going to do." Soon after, they realized it was time to eat and started setting out the food. After they were done, they called the kids over to eat. Within minutes, the entire group was eating and chatting. The teens, the rangers especially, were happy that Gasket wasn't attacking them today. They had had a battle a few days ago and now it seemed as if he was licking his wounds, so to speak, and they couldn't be happier. They talked about the kids' upcoming senior year and how excited they were to be done with high school. That comment prompted Trini's mom Mei to make one of her own.

"Well, even if you guys are done with high school," she smiled. "You still have college to think about."

"Aww man," they all groaned. "Moooooooom!" Trini whined. "We were just enjoying our last year. Did you have to burst our bubble?"

"Yes," Mei laughed at their faces. "It's my job as a parent."

"Aren't you guys a little old to be whining?" Nate, Billy's dad, smiled.

"Of course not Papa Cranston," Kim sniffed. "Why, just the other day, dad was whining to mom about a show of his when she tried to move the TV." Everyone laughed at the look of surprise and sheepishness on James' face.

"You really did that?" Matt laughed.

"I wouldn't laugh if were you Matthew Taylor," Jill mock-scolded. "As I seem to recall you doing the same thing not too long ago."

"Dad got burned," Zack laughed. Kim laughed as she got up.

"Where are you going Kim?" Tanya asked.

"I'm just going to go throw this away," She gestured to her empty plate. "I'll be right back."

"OK," they nodded. Kim shook her head as she walked away. A gentle breeze was blowing and it fluttered her hair, making it whip lightly about her face. She tucked a few strands behind her ear. She dumped her plate and was making her way back to the table when she heard her name.

"Kimberly?"

She turned around and to her shock, she saw Caroline standing there. Instantly wary, Kim took a step back and folded her arms. "What do you want?"

"I know I don't have the right to ask," Caroline said. "But can we talk?" Kim looked at her. She was debating whether or not she should talk but she knew that she had to. After the barbeque, she had kept putting if off. At first, it was because she was still hurting from her mother's abandonment and then sudden re-entry into her life. But after, she had avoided her because she just couldn't deal with it. She couldn't make a decision, so she had decided to avoid her. But now she couldn't; it was time to deal with her mother once and for all.

"Alright," Kim said. "Let's sit over there." Caroline let out the breath she was holding and followed Kim to the bench. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"About the way I reacted when I got Ken's message," Caroline spoke.

"Why did you do that?" Kim asked. "I tried really hard to understand your point, but I can't. I can't see how or why you could do that to me. I'm your daughter. I needed you, but you couldn't. Do you know how much that hurt me?"

"I really am sorry Kim," Caroline said. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Are you kidding me?" Kim asked. "What did you think was going to happen? How did you think I was going to react?"

"Kimberly, please," Caroline said, tears filling her eyes. "I truly never meant to hurt you. I meant what I said at the barbeque a few months ago. I truly couldn't deal with it. The night I was attacked, I felt so worthless after that. I wouldn't eat, I avoided my friends. I didn't even tell Alicia about it. I know that I couldn't possibly understand what you went through and I know I messed up when I abandoned you, and I regret that so much and I am sorry I did that."

"I don't get it," Kim shook her head. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing," Caroline looked away. "At least not now; when I first came back, I wanted nothing more than your forgiveness, yours and Pierre's. But after spending the last two months in town and seeing you with your friends, seeing how you interacted with Tommy's mom. It made me realize that I wanted to be in your life. But I know that won't be possible and it's my entire fault. So I'm asking you, can you see yourself forgiving me? Can you see yourself letting me be apart of your life once more?"

Kim bowed her head as she thought about it.

…

"Kim's taking a long time," Adam said. "It shouldn't take this long to throw away her garbage."

"I'm sure she's fine," Soo Yung smiled at her son. "From what I hear of her, she can take care of herself."

"I know," he sighed. "But she's our sister, and I can't help but worry."

"I know," Melissa said.

"I'll go look for her," Tommy said.

"We'll come," Aisha smiled. They turned to get up, only to be stopped by Nancy.

"Isn't that Kim over there?" she pointed to where Kim and Caroline were sitting. "But who's that with her?"

"Caroline," Melissa growled. She moved to stand, as did the others. They were only a few feet from the benches when Tommy stopped them.

"Mom, guys wait," Tommy said.

"What is it Tommy?" Melissa asked him. "She has hurt Kim enough and I refuse to let her hurt her anymore."

"No wait," Tommy said. "I don't think we should go over there."

"Why do you say that?" James asked.

"Kim's posture," Tommy said. "She's not stiffened up or tense or anything. She's slightly relaxed, which means that she's not feeling threatened and she's willing put herself there."

"How do you know?" Russell Hillard asked.

"I learned to read Kim," Tommy said. "I know how to read her body postures."

"And he knows her better than anyone else too," Kat said.

"Let's just give them their time to talk," Billy said. "We have been waiting on Kimberly's decision regarding her relationship with Caroline and I think we will get our answer."

…

Caroline looked at Kim as she thought on her answer. It hurt to know that Kim was questioning if she should be a part of her life or not. But she knew that it was her own fault. Whatever decision Kim came to, she would have to abide it, no matter how much it might hurt. As she sat there, she thought about the day Kim was born, her first steps, her first words, her first everything. She was jerked out of her thoughts by Kim's voice.

"You were always there for me," Kim spoke, her voice soft. "For as long as I can remember, you always stood by me. Whenever I had a problem, I went to you because you listened. What hurts the most is the betrayal. The one time I needed you to listen, you turned your back. I needed you; I needed your touch, your comfort. I needed my mother…only she wasn't there."

"I know I've said this more than once," Caroline said. "But I am sorry for the way I treated you."

"I know that," Kim said. "The last few months and weeks, I spent wondering what I'm going to do; should I cut you completely out of my life, or should I let you back in? Everyone's wondering what I'm going to do. I've thought this over and I came to a decision. I forgive you."

Caroline closed her eyes and let out a huge breath. "Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you mainly," Kim said. "I did it for me and for everyone else. And while I do forgive you, I can't see you acting as my mother. What I'm saying may hurt, but it's how I feel. Since I came back from Florida, Melissa has been there for me. In these past few months, she's been more of a mother to me than you. Biologically you are my mother, but for everything else, I can't see you filling that role. I _do_ love you, make no mistake, but I just can't be your daughter anymore. I trusted you and you destroyed it almost completely and you're going to have to work to get it back."

"So how much a part of your life will I be?" Caroline asked.

"For now," Kim said. "You'll be nothing more than an acquaintance. I'm not being cold-hearted or anything, but that's how I feel. I already forgave you, but it's going to be awhile before I can trust you completely again. When it comes to any big decisions in my life, you have no say. You can give your opinions, but don't expect to presume to tell me what to do. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Caroline sighed. "I know that all this my fault and doing all this is a the price I have to pay, but one I'm willing to do if it means that I still am a part of your life, no matter how small that part is. So I won't be ungrateful because you didn't have to do this."

"Thank you for understanding," Kim smiled. Caroline looked around before she let out a small laugh. She saw the others standing a distance looking at them.

"I see your bodyguards over there," she pointed to where the others were. Kim looked around and smiled at her friends and family.

"I guess they got worried and came to look for me," Kim said.

"Maybe they think I'll hurt you again," Caroline sighed. "I don't blame them for being cautious. So where do we go from here?"

"Do you want to join us?" Kim asked as she stood up.

"No," Caroline smiled sadly. "You might forgive me, but I don't think they're ready to welcome me back yet."

Kim nodded. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Kimberly?" Caroline called as she stood up.

"Yes?" Kim turned to look at her.

"I know I don't have a right to ask," Caroline said. "But do you think I can get a hug…please?"

Kim looked at her before letting out a small smile. "Sure." She took a step forward and let Caroline's arms wrap around her. The hug went for a few seconds before Caroline pulled back.

"I think deep down inside," Caroline spoke. "I knew that you were stronger than I was and that you would get through it. It's no excuse for what I did, but I just wanted you to know."

"Ok," Kim said.

"Do me a favor?" Caroline said as she took a step back.

"What?"

"Tell 'Lish that I am sorry I never told her," Caroline said. "But I was afraid she'd look at me different. Her friendship meant too much to me, though it doesn't matter now. Just tell her I'm truly sorry and if she can forgive me, she still has my number."

"Ok," Kim said. "I will."

"See you around Kimberly," Caroline said.

"You too," Kim replied. Caroline smiled before she walked away. Kim stood watching her for a few seconds before she turned to walk back to her friends. As she got close, she saw the anxiousness on their faces, and a protective one on Melissa's.

"You alright?" Tommy asked as he broke away to walk over to her.

"I'm fine," Kim smiled as he wrapped her in a hug. He pulled back, but kept an arm around her waist.

"What did she want?" Melissa asked.

"To talk," Kim said.

"What's your decision?" Aisha asked.

"I forgave her," Kim said. "I needed to do it for me, not just for her. I told her that she had to work to rebuild the little trust that I do have for her; and that when it comes to any major decisions in my life, she has no say. She understood and agreed to do it." she shrugged. "She had no other choice, really."

"I'm proud of you," James smiled at her. "Not many teens would have done what you did."

"I know," Kim smiled. "But with everything that has happened in my life, from since I was a kid to now, it's no surprise."

"That's true," Alicia said. "Is that all you guys talked about?"

"She gave me a message to give you," Kim turned to Jason's mom.

"Oh?" Alicia raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"She says she's sorry for not telling you," Kim said. "But that she was afraid that you'd see her differently and your friendship with her meant too much to her. But she knows that after the way she treated me it doesn't matter anymore and if you ever decide to forgive her, her number hasn't changed."

"Thanks for telling me," Alicia nodded her head and looked in the direction Caroline left.

"Ok," Kim said. "Enough of all this sad stuff; let's enjoy the rest of this picnic."

"I agree with that," Rocky smiled.

"You only agree because you want more food," Zack laughed.

"So?" Rocky smiled. "I'm a growing boy, I need to eat."

"Rocky," Aisha smiled at her boyfriend. "I don't see why you say you're growing boy when you're the same now as you were when we were kids." They all laughed at the look on his face.

"I'll get you for that," he grabbed her hand and threw her over his shoulder. He started walking to the lake.

"Rocky you better not do what I think you're going to do!" Aisha exclaimed.

"Sorry babe," Rocky smiled. "But I think you need to cool off." With that, he lifted her and threw her into the lake. Tommy and Jason looked at each other before they ran after him. When they got near, they grabbed his legs and his arms and threw him into the lake.

"You guys suck!" he laughed when he came up. He stopped laughing when Aisha ducked him back under. Zack and Adam ran straight to Tommy and Jason and all four fell into the water. They looked at each then at the girls laughing on the beach.

"I've got Kim," Tommy said.

"Tanya," Adam nodded.

"Trini," Jason followed.

"And I'll get Kat," Zack said. "But who's got Billy?"

"We'll let Kim get him," Jason said. "She's probably the only one that'll be able to get him in the water."

"Alright," the boys nodded. "Let's do this." They all rushed from the water, straight to the girls. They grabbed the one they were supposed to and made their way back to the water. After they ducked the girls, they told Kim what they needed and watched as she made her way to Billy. Billy saw Kim coming and knew what was going to happen. It took ten seconds before Kim got him into the water; they laughed at the look on his face.

"It's not fair," he said when he got in. "Sending Kim after me."

"We did it because we knew that she would be the only one to get you to come in," Zack laughed.

"I hate you guys," Billy grumbled. Jason jumped on him, followed by the other boys.

"DOGPILE!" Rocky yelled. With that, they started ducking each other. Up by the tables, the parents laughed as they watched their kids. The Fourth of July picnic was going better than expected. Later, after they had packed up the extra food, they found a spot where they'll be able to see the fireworks perfectly. The teens decided to go for a walk, and when the fireworks went off, they were all standing on one of the bridges.

"WHOO!" Kim screamed. She was leaning against Tommy, her back to his chest, and his arms were wrapped around her.

"You know something," Rocky said.

"What?" Billy asked.

"This reminds me of the night we destroyed Ivan Ooze," He continued.

"Oh yeah," Aisha said. "They had a lot of fireworks then too."

"Happy Fourth of July Beautiful," Tommy ducked his head to kiss Kim.

"Happy Fourth of July Handsome," Kim replied when they pulled back from the kiss. He smiled at her and they turned back to the fireworks display.

_(Part 2—Final Say and Graduation)_

It was now the end of May and the school year was coming to a close. This was their last full week of school before Graduation. The last year had been one of their more eventful years. The day was Wednesday and the gang was in their final class for the day; and they couldn't be happier.

"So what are we going to do today?" Adam asked.

"Well," Kim tucked a strand of hair behind her head. "We're going to the mall. There's this huge summer sale going on and I want to check it out."

"And by checking it out," Tommy smiled. "She means buy out the stores."

"Hey!" Kim slapped him on his arm while their friends laughed.

"But what about after summer?" Adam asked. "With colleges and whatnots?"

"Well," Kat said. "I wasn't going to say anything yet."

"What is it?" Tanya asked.

"Do you know that ballet audition that I told you about?"

"Yeah?" Trini said.

"Well I sent in a tape," Kat said. "And they called back and said that they're going to send a representative out here to see me. If she likes what she sees, then I'll be offered a spot in the London Ballet Company."

"Oh my God," Kim squealed. "Kat, that's amazing. I'm so proud of you."

"She hasn't seen me yet Kim," Kat smiled.

"She's going to love you Kat," Tanya smiled. "You know you're an amazing ballet dancer."

"We're happy for you Kat," Jason said.

"Gosh can you believe it?" Kim asked. "We're almost done with high school."

"I know," Aisha said. "I can't believe everything that happened this year."

"Jase losing his powers," Zack said. "Billy almost dying; Rocky hurting his back—

"Losing our powers," Adam said. "Gaining new powers—

"Billy becoming a ranger again," Zack said.

"Jase and I getting kidnapped and sacrificed," Trini shuddered. "Not something I'd like to go through again."

"Hey, it could've easily been me," Kim said.

"That's true," Aisha said. "If you hadn't come down with that cold, Trini wouldn't have taken your place."

"True," Trini smiled. "But it's cool."

"Can't wait for this day to end," Kim groaned. Seconds later, the final bell rang. "Oh Happy Day!" they laughed and the group of friends grabbed their stuff and left the class. They headed to their locker to put their stuff away before they headed to the parking lot.

"Meet at the youth center?" Tommy asked.

"Sure," they nodded.

"Alright," Tommy said. They all got into their respective cars, some of them doubling up and drove off to the youth center. As he closed his door, Tommy turned to Kim. "I can't believe the school year is almost. Come September we'll all be college kids."

"It's a little daunting," Kim smiled. "But I don't think it's more daunting than being a ranger. If we handled that, we can take on college."

"Speaking of," Tommy said. "What are we going to do about our ranger duties if we're all going to off to college?"

"I don't know," Kim shook her head. "But I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure Zordon will have a plan."

"You're right," He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you."

"Love you too," Kim smiled. He started the jeep and they headed to the youth center to meet up with their friends.

Three days later on Saturday, found Kim on her and Tommy's bed, sitting quietly. Kim sighed as she got up and walked to the window. After the talk with Caroline last July 4th, they had slowly opened up further communication with each other. While Kim didn't have the connection or closeness that she shared with Melissa, she had come to at least move Caroline from an acquaintance to a friend. But that situation had prompted her to think about the last person that she had to confront; Michael. Kim sighed as she looked out the window. Behind her, the door opened and her boyfriend walked in.

"Hey Beautiful," Tommy asked when she turned around and he saw the look on her face. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Kim said. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?" he asked as he moved to sit on the bed.

"Michael."

"Oh," he said. "Well, what about him?"

"I think I'm ready to move on from that night," Kim said. "But I can't, because…"

"You can't because a part of you is still angry at him and you didn't get a chance to truly confront him," he finished.

"Yeah," she sighed. "And I don't know what I'm going to do." Tommy got up off the bed and walked over to her. He rubbed her shoulders before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"You don't have to go through this alone," he said. "I'll be there for you and so will our friends."

"I know," she smiled at him. "I'm very lucky."

"Nah," he smiled. "We're the lucky ones."

"We all are," Kim responded. "But I still don't know what I'm going to do."

"I have an idea," He said.

"What?"

"Let's go talk to Zordon," he said.

"Why?"

"I'll tell you when we get there," he said. She nodded and the two teleported to the CC.

"Tommy, Kimberly," Zordon said when the beamed cleared. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing per say Zordon," Tommy answered. "Zordon, can you get everyone here? I need to talk to them about something."

"Sure Tommy." seconds later, he contacted the rest of their friends; within minutes the others teleported to the CC.

"What's going on?" Adam asked.

"Kim, Tommy," Tanya called. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Tommy said. "I asked Zordon to call you guys here because I needed to talk to you."

"What about?" Jason asked.

"It's for Kim," Tommy said. "She has one more step to go through before she can truly be over what happened in Florida."

"And what's that?" Trini asked.

"She needs to go back to Florida," Tommy said.

"What?" Kim looked up at her boyfriend. "Why would I do that?"

"Because that's where Michael is," Tommy said. "And that's where you were attacked. You never got the chance to truly confront Michael and this is your chance. When you do this, you'll finally be able to let him go." Kim was silent as she thought on what he said. She knew it was the truth, but she wasn't sure if she could do it.

"Tommy is right, young Kimberly," Zordon spoke. When Kim looked up at him, he continued. "I believe humans call it exorcising your demons. By doing this, you will never have to fear him and you can stop living in fear. He will no longer have any control over you and you can truly and finally move on."

"But Zordon," Kim spoke. "Michael's body was buried in Florida. How are we going to get there?"

"You will teleport of course," Zordon replied.

"Are you sure?" Kim asked. "What about the whole 'not abusing the power' rule?"

"I have decided to amend that rule," Zordon said. "If the situation is one such as this or it is very extreme, then you can use the teleportation power."

"Thank you," Kim said softly.

"You never have to," Zordon smiled down at her.

"So…" Kim turned her friends. "Are you guys coming?"

"You didn't think we'd let you go through this alone, did you?" Rocky asked.

"We're coming with you, Kim," Zack said. "No ifs, ands or buts about it."

"Ok," She took a breath. "We're ready Zordon."

"Prepare to teleport," Zordon said. They all crowded together just seconds before the teleportation beam washed over them. Zordon smiled as they disappeared.

…

When the lights cleared, the rangers found themselves standing in a cemetery. Luckily, they landed a few feet away from Michael's grave.

"Guys wait," Kim said as they were starting across to his grave. "I think I should do this alone."

"Are you sure Kim?" Kat asked.

"Yes," Kim nodded. "I have to."

"Ok," Adam said. "We'll be right over there."

"Thanks guys," Kim gave a tiny smile before she made her way to the grave. As she got closer, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of his grave. She looked down and read his inscription;

_Alexander Michael Davis  
April 15__th__ 1976- May 10__th__ 1996  
Son, friend, and brother  
you will be missed  
R.I.P_

"I don't get it," She whispered. "I just don't get it. How could you do that to me? I trusted you. I was your friend and you did that to me. What did I ever do to you that you would hurt me like that?" By now, tears had filled her eyes and were spilling over onto her cheeks. "For the longest while I hated you for what you did. I couldn't understand how you could claim to be my friend, to be in love with me when you raped me. But I realized something, while a part of me will always hate you for what you, I can't let it control my life because that you give _you_ control over me. And I don't want that. You were wrong when you said that my friends would reject me. They haven't and they won't. They stood by me and I know they will continue to stand by me. Every nightmare I had, every time I flinched from someone, that was your control over me, but not anymore; I'm giving it back to you. I did hate you, but I don't anymore. You know why? Because I forgive you for what you did. I will always remember it, but I refuse to let it dictate my life. I'm finally free of you. Rest in peace Michael. Goodbye." She turned and walked away without a backward glance. As she got close to her friends, a smile came over her face. She was right; she was free. For the first time, she felt as if a burden has lifted off of her. She felt lighter than she ever had.

"You ok?" Trini asked as Kim came to a stop in front of them

"Never better," Kim smiled. She stepped to Tommy and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Let's go home."

"Ok," they said as one. As the teleportation beam washed over the group of friends, a ghostly figure stood next to Michael's grave. _Have a good life Kimberly. _The figure smiled before they disappeared.

_(Graduation Day)_

Excitement was in the air; graduation was finally here. All around, parents, friends, and teachers were talking and preparing for the ceremony. Angel Grove High Principle, Mr. Kaplan had decided to have the ceremony outside on the football field. Kim and the other girls were sitting on one of the benches, talking about their summer. It's been two weeks since they went to Florida and the change in Kim was apparent. She was much more relaxed and carefree. It was like seeing the Kimberly before the rape and her friends couldn't be happier. Soon after, the boys joined them.

"Hey guys," Kat smiled when Billy dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"What's up?" Aisha asked, as Rocky dropped down next to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned back into him.

"Nothing much," Jason said. "Just decided to join you guys." The others nodded as they found seats on the benches. Tommy sat down on the top of the bench behind Kim and she moved to sit between his legs.

"I can't believe it," Kim sighed. "We're actually graduating. In a few hours, we'll officially be done with high school."

"It seems surreal," Trini said. "It's been four long years."

"You know what seems surreal?" Adam said. "Not being rangers anymore."

"That's true," Tanya said. About a week after they went to Florida, the rangers had passed on their powers. Tommy had chosen to give his red TURBO powers to Theodore Jay Jarvis "TJ" Johnson after he had saved his and Kat's life. Likewise, Kat gave hers to Cassandra "Cassie" Chan, for the same reason. Adam had passed on the green TURBO powers to Carlos Valerte, Tanya had given her powers to Ashley Hammond and Billy had passed his on to Justin Stewart, the youngest person to ever become a ranger. The good thing was that everyone on the new team was friends.

"How do you guys feel?" Kim asked.

"Feels a bit strange," Kat said. "Like…"

"Like there's a part of you missing," Trini finished. "Yeah, we know the feeling."

"I guess it was time for us pass the powers on," Adam said. "I mean, we're all going off to college, come this fall."

"And besides," Tommy said. "I think that our next generation of rangers is going to do a good job."

"I agree," Kim said. "If something in them couldn't handle it, the powers never would've have settled with them. Besides, I always felt as if the TURBO powers weren't really yours to own anyways."

"How do you figure Kim?" Aisha asked.

"I think that Tommy and the others were only meant to retrieve the powers so that they could pass them on to TJ and the others," Kim said. "Why else would Zordon have you guys go for a new power with Graduation only months away?"

"She has a point," Billy said.

"Hey guys." They looked up to see TJ and the others coming over.

"Hey," Kim smiled. "How are you guys? Everything's going ok with your new 'job'?"

"Yeah," Cassie smiled. "It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I think we're getting the hang of it."

"That's good," Jason said. "And you guys know that you can talk to us about it if you want."

"We probably will," Ashley laughed. The two groups talked some more. Before they knew it, it was time to start. The graduating students made their way to the front where their seats were. They listened to the Principle's speech and cheered when Billy made his Valedictorian speech. Pretty soon, they were calling out the names for the graduates to get their diplomas. Out of the friends, Aisha was the first to go. When Kim heard her name, she smiled and went up. As she turned around she paused as she saw Caroline sitting between Alicia and Melissa. When Melissa smiled at her and reached out to wrap an arm around Caroline, a huge smile came across Kim's face. Pretty soon, all the students had their diplomas and were standing on the stage.

"…And in conclusion," Principle Kaplan wrapped up his final speech. "I would just like to say that these students will be missed as these last four years were some of the best. And I offer my good luck and gratitude to them all. So without further ado, let's give a huge hand to our graduating class of 1997. Congratulations guys."

The students cheered as they lifted their caps and tossed them into the air. Kim found Tommy and jumped into his arms. The friends moved from the stage and went to their parents.

"Congratulations guys," Nancy said. "You did it!" Cheers and whoops went up in the air.

"Kimberly," Melissa smiled as she saw her.

"Mom," Kim smiled. "I am so happy."

"Me too," Melissa smiled. "Now all that's left is college."

"Let's just enjoy summer first," Kim laughed. She turned to Caroline. "Thanks for coming." She reached out and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you," Caroline said. "I wasn't sure if you'd want me here or not, but Melissa asked me to be, so here I am."

"Well I'm glad," Kim smiled. "But what brought on this change?" she had directed the question to Melissa.

"I thought that if you could be the mature one," Melissa smiled. "Then so could I. I know it's been a year…well almost, but better late than never."

"So what now?" James asked.

"PARTY AT ERNIE'S!" the friends all yelled. Once again, cheering erupted between them. All around, families were having their own mini-celebrations. As Kim looked at her friends, she smiled. She laughed when she saw Rocky and Adam fighting each other. She looked up at Tommy and tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. When he looked at her, she smiled at him.

"I'm so glad I came home," She whispered. "I'm glad I got the chance to experience this with you and everyone else."

"So am I Beautiful," he whispered back. "So am I." And with that, he pulled her into a kiss. They pulled back to jeering from Rocky and they laughed at him. Back at the CC, Zordon looked on at the celebrations with a smile; Alpha for once was quiet. As he looked at the group, he was once again reminded as to why he had chosen them in the first place to be rangers; their inner strength, their innocence, their youth, their willingness to do what is right rather than what was easy, but above all, their loyalty to each other. He had never seen a closer group of people. His gaze drifted to Kim and an even fonder smile was on his face. Out of all the rangers, she had been through more than anyone else; but she had never let it get her down. As he watched her laugh with her friends and family, Zordon could see that Kimberly that he knew had returned. Once again, life had tested her, but with the help of her friends, she came through even stronger than before. With one last look at Kim, he closed the connection. He smiled and relaxed because he knew that his broken crane had finally healed.

**

* * *

**

**A/N 2: **and it's over. HBC is finally finished. All thanks are in the last chapter.

**Jasonleescottfan: **Preston is the name I gave Jason's dad in Sc. And I like it. Nathaniel Cranston sounds so much better than Preston Cranston. I love the sound of Preston Scott, I mean, it just rolls off the tongue. Besides, I'm the author and I can do what I want, so there (sticks tongue out with a smile).

**A/N 3: **I hope everyone liked the scene between Kim and Caroline, and with Kim at Michael's grave. I just couldn't end it without Kim talking to Carrie or Michael. Read and review and tell me what you think. like i said earlier, my own thoughts on this story and thanks to reviewers are in the following chapter.


	13. Author's Final Thoughts and Thanks

Hey everyone. Yes, the story is over. I have to say, I had so much fun writing this, though I never expected that it would such a huge hit. When I first started writing this story, I had no idea where I was going with it. But it unraveled the further along I went; it basically wrote itself. All the reviews that I got for it made my day every time I read them and it made the story better. I love all my reviewers and those that had me on story alert, author alert, story favorite and author favorite. Those really made my day. There are a few specific reviewers that I have to single out;

_**Falcon4Crane: **_you have been my bouncing board for all three of my stories. You helped me mold and shape my ideas and even offered some of yours as well. Pretty soon, I started looking forward to what you thought about a specific chapter. You helped me out whenever I got stuck. I love you girl and I appreciate everything you've done for me.

_**JasonLeeScottFan: **_I have to admit, that at first you kinda frustrated me. I know that I never did anything like what happened in the show (like Jason getting the Gold ranger powers), but it's cool. That's how you become a better a writer. In time, I learned to look forward to what you would say, and even though I still smile and roll my eyes whenever I read your review, I do appreciate it.

_**Redphonix:**_ you were my very first reviewer. You basically started the ball rolling, so to speak, and for that I thank you.

_**Rosebudjamie, slytherensangel26, Falcon4Crane, fanficrulez, Jeremy Shane, Lunar Kitty Kat, Angelrei06, Gina star, Jaguarsolaris, Jemlela, Starfire1994, JasonLeeScottFan, Sabina21, Hewhoreaps: **_you guys have reviewed on practically every single chapter and I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Your reviews meant so much to me.

And then there are the others that started reviewing later, but then reviewed on every chapter after that. Reviewers like: _**TommyOliverMMPRFan, PrincessKarlita411, LastWhiteRose, Prophet144, Pinkrangerfan, Psav2005, Sailor Cyanide, etc. **_if I forgot anyone, I'm sorry.

I've gained reviewers and I've lost reviewers, but al that is a part of story writing. Thanks to everyone that reviewed and loved this story.

I'm thinking of writing a sequel, which will be based in DT. I'm probably not going to follow the episode arch as I will be doing them how I thought they should've gone. If you guys would like that, let me know. Though I might still write it, even if you don't.

Once again, thank you

Kila


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